The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-05-18
CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO.
Dramatic Religious Rites Mingled with
Stately Manipulating.

Stately Manipulating.
IF. A. B. in Philadelphia Press.I
The holiday season in Mexico shows
as strong a contrast with the celebration
in our country as Providence presents it
in climate and people 1t has religious
traits that are attractive, and many of
them dramatic. In fact, every phase of
life in that Catholic country is singularly
tinged with the forms of religion. Dur
ing Christmas-tide they are shown in
their best lights Like all cOmmu-
mites that worship their patron saints,
their holidays begin earlier and last much
longer than ours. The celebration of the
birth of Christ begins there with the pill
grimage of Joseph and Mary from NaZa-
reth to Bethlehem, where the Child was
born. For nine days before the natal day
everything is given up to the first act of
this crude Passion play The lower
classes spend most of their time in wOr
ship at home and in the churches. But
those who are Weather take upon them
selves the duty of celebrating every stage
of the pilgrimage of nearly 1900 years
ago. Those moving in the same circle of
society gather in groups each evening and
go as a surprise party to the house of one
of their circles. They sing and rap Wig
orously at the door, when those within
ask
"The Virgin Mary and st. Joseph ask
lodgings in your house
The doors are thrown open, and the
visitors are welcomed and conducted to
the nacimientO, a little altar erected in
the private residences of the better classes,
representing the birth of Christ Here
each one repeats prayer with the rosary.
These simple religious services over, all
are invited to the parlor, where refresh
&c nd olroc
clamation that he is honored by the pre-
sence of Mary and Joseph, and invites
them all to make merry. Music and
dancing succeed eating and drinking. and
there is prolonged merry making.
Christmas Eve ushers in new scene,
the most dramatic and beautiful of all the
holiday season. The richer people who
have represented the long pilgrimage, give
way to the poorer classes, who now take
up the celebration by giving the "Pas-
torela, dramatic representation of the
birth of Christ. The largest room that
can be procured in the village is fitted up
for the representation, and the humble
people, who have few wants and little to
supply them with, come in to represent
the characters in the drama.
The shepherds in the field observing the
Star of Bethlehem, are cleverly repre-
scented, as is their journey under it's guild
ance. The birth in the manger, the his
toric cow, the angels and ST. Michael are
all shown in the simple, picturesque, but
impressive play. The spectators who wit
ness and applaud the humble players, who
are thus properly representing those who
welcomed the birth of our Savior, are
sometimes those who made the emble-
matte visits of the previous nine days, but,
generally the play is for the poorer classes
This charming introduction to Christ
mas Day ends little before
midnight, when those who have
witnessed it are expected to enter
tain the performers Then all classes go
to midnight mass, where the greatest
crowd of ali the year, except Holy Week
are seen. The food furnished after these
representations consists usually of bu-
nuelos, wheat-four cake cooked much
like our doughnuts, and tesquino, kind
of beer or fermented drink, of which the
poorer classes partake freely during holt
day time.
Christmas Day is celebrated in quiet
way. Nothing of the boisterous joviality
of the American day is apparent Gifts
from friend to friend are rarely inter
changed. The servants often get their
aguinaldo, Christmas present, but even
this custom is not general Hearty and
happy as is the MeXicans Christmas, it is
enjoyed more as a religious festival than
aC q feast