Mexico Part VII: Mes de Fiestas

In Mexico there seem to be a lot of holidays. The month of October through the beginning of November is marked as the "mes de fiestas" or party month. I haven't really been able to get a straight answer as to why it is, people just keep telling me that it's the mes de fiestas. Duh? Right? Anyway, so in October about a week before Halloween it was Dias de Naciones Unidas, or the United Nations Day. Do we have such a thing in the states? Maybe I am just not very cultured. But, in Eva's preschool they celebrated this holiday by having the different classrooms represent different countries. Eva's was assigned China. I found out on a Thursday, that if she wanted to she could dress up on Friday representing China. So, last minute I ran to a costume shop during her dance class and picked her up this little ensemble. She looked adorable. I spent a lot of money for the little outfit, but I have this issue, that I want my kids to participate in everything that they can. Growing up sometimes, I felt like I missed out on some things that had to do with school because my parents didn't really understand the American culture so I want Eva to not have to feel like that. I know it isn't the end of the world, but I suppose it goes with that feeling that we want to always give the best to our kiddos. I think the kids paraded around the school in their hats that they made at school and learned about different countries. Pretty cute.

Then, the following Friday the kids celebrated Halloween at school. Eva told everyone she was going to be Ariel. And since the kids were allowed to dress up at school that's exactly who she wanted to be. If the costume looks familiar that's because it's last years costume. She wanted to wear it and after spending 35 for her Asian costume the week before, I wasn't going to fight her. So, to answer many of your questions, they do celebrate Halloween here. We have a wives club here for the American wives that are in Guad with their husbands and through that we helped put together a pretty awesome trunk or treat event. We had a potluck event, with a brincolin (one of those big bouncy things), two pinatas, and the trunk or treating. Mexicans can really throw a party for cheap here. The kids had a blast. I kept waiting for the cold wind, or rain to come and ruin our event because that is what I am used to, but instead it was a sunny, 80 degrees with costumes fully exposed. We didn't have to wear oversized jackets to hide the costumes. Elijah was a little pirate with eye patch and all. Next year I have decided to make my own costumes, so I can't wait to think of how to coordinate these two kids of mine. On the actual Halloween day we stayed home since it was a Sunday and we felt like the kids already had enough candy anyway. But the kids around the cotos came around chanting, queremos Halloween (we want Halloween), over and over as they came up to the doors. Guess they don't use trick or treat here. It was quite different but amusing. Now we'll know what to teach our kids to say next year.