The Arvada enterprise., 1913-12-25

ceremony is always followed by the
breaking Of the "pinyata." II the
Christmas tree is Joy itself to the
American child. the "pinyata" means
even moro to the humble Mexican
child
They are made OF large or small
"ollas' Gars of pottery:. gaily dec
GRATED with colored paper and tlnsel
to represent some figure, either
grotesQue or pretty, One may buy n
bride, clown. baby, goose, swan, pine
apple, or anything tho fancy has
dictated In the making, and at any
price from fifty centavos to twenty
hve pesos. The jars are entirely con-
cealed In their fancy coverings, with
n stout rope around tho top to sus-
pend them from the ceiling. A little
brown boy will trot along by your
side and carry your pinyata home
for you for few cents. no matter
how heavy 1t is.
Thereafter they are filled with nuts.
candies. raisins, small oranges, bana-
mas, dates. pieces of sugar.cane and
few small simple toys as, dolls or
animals; the pinyata is hung ready
for use. The servants and their chill
dren are permitted to come in and
share the fun, no distinction of class
being made at this time.
One after another OF the company
are blindfolded and allowed three
strikes each at the pinyata with
heavy cane rs 1t hangs, suspended
from the ceiling. When 1t Is finally
broken and the contents tumble to theN
floor of the patio" there is grand
scramble for the good things that have
fallen out and each person is permit
ted to keep whatever he or she can
get hold OF nrst. Woe unto the poor
child who Is timid and slower than
the others. she is liable to get very lit
tie indeed
After the pinyata the servants re-
tire, more or less elaborate supper
Is served, according to the station OF
the host; favors are distributed. usual
ly some odd little figures of china
or bisque. filled with candy; dancing
and music follow until late hour.
Wine or cognac is plentiful, but very
few become intoxicated. The churches
| celebrate these "fiestns," leaving out,
OF course, the social features On
Christmas eve at midnight is cele-
brated the mass. when the image OF
the holy child Is carried through the
cathedral by the high dignitaries OF
the church, and tho people are al
lowed to kiss the toes of the sacred In.
fant to show their alteration, after
which 1t Ia placed In tho grotto fol-
| lowed by the litanies etc. After tho
mass IL celebrated tho bells ring out
joyously and noisily and one knows
that another Christmas day is Mt
hand.
No one gets up early on Christmas
morning except tho dcvout women
who In their black dresses and with
their black mantillas over their heads
attend the ten o'clock mass.
A visit to the booths or "puestos"
during the holiday season Is full OF
interest ns well as surprises to tho
foreigner In n Mexican city Tho
sight OF these queer and varied look
Ing booths going up on the side of tho
street adjoining the sidewalk on two
sides OF the alameda or park is tho
lrst indication OF tho approaching
holidays. Each booth is erected by
tho humble merchant who is to oc-
cupy II. according to his own fancy,
and as they do not conform to any
rules or regulations as to size or
shape, they arc n queer tumble OF
gaily lighted "puestos."
There one can buy jumping Jacks
for two centavos; clay dolls for two
to four cents, beautiful and curious
pottery made from the identical aztec
and toltcc designs for from twenty
to fifty cents, beautiful baskets OF
imDerishable weave and color and
every Blzo and shape from twenty-five
cents to one peso; clay figures OF
men and women with bits OF bright
calico fashioned into clothes; figures
OF ungainly looking animals shaped
Ike nothing ever seen before, sacred
Images, jewelry, clever whistles, rat
ties. electric BpurklerB," fireworks OF
all description, delicious candiod
fruits, conseryes, In fact anything and
everything In to be found at tho "puos-
toB." The Mexlcans are especially
clever at making candied fruits.
All day and until midnight great
throngB OF people crowd and push
each other, good naturedly. going and
coming, crowdlng the walks IN front
Of the booths almost TO BuffocatIon,
making their purchases, visiting
laughing and talking But at mid.
night. when there Is no possibility OF
more sales the merchants spread their
blankets on the mats or "petatoB."
blow out their torch lights. drop down
their one window In front and all
crawl into the one bed, or roll up In
their single blankets and crawl under
tho rude counter and 20 to sleep No
one thinks Of going home, In fact some
Of them are regular nomadB and bayo
no fixed home.
npa hv nm. tba Itphta un nut and