The Legend of Sant Jordi

Today I received a lovely surprise, a red rose for me and one for my daughter. You see amongst our neighbors we have a family that moved into our community at the beginning of the year, they are originally from Catalonia. They are super sweet and fun to hang out with. Today is the day they celebrate Sant Jordi day in their culture and because I've asked so much about this tradition they've included us in the celebration. 

What is Sant Jordi Day?

The Legend of Sant Jordi is originally from Catalonia Spain, there was a dragon that was threatening the kingdom. This dragon demanded to be fed one inhabitant from the kingdom per day, after a while the town grew tired and decided that they would chose the next victim by a drawing. In the drawing the King's daughter was the winner. The King was so desperate to spare his daughter's life that he promised his daughter's hand in marriage to the brave knight that would kill said dragon. 

Sant Jordi rode his horse to battle and kill the dragon. He slayed the dragon by stabbing his sword on the side of the dragon, blood flowed from the dragon and from that blood grew red roses just like the dragon's blood and the thorns were from the dragon's scales. Sant Jordi cut a rose and offered it to the princess as a symbol of love.

How is it celebrated?

There are two traditions on this particular holiday, since it is also the day that Shakespeare was born and Cervantes was buried it is also National Book Day. The tradition is that on April 23rd men give the women in their life {mother, wife, girlfriend, daughters and even co-workers} a red rose and women give the men in their life a book.

To celebrate the traditions many civic and cultural entities sell roses and books on the street. In Montblanc for example each year they represent theatrically the legend of Sant Jordi, dragon included! They build one made of cardboard. Here is a video I was shared about the Sant Jordi celebration, truly spectacular!{It is in Catalan, however if you may understand what is going on} I'm adding a trip to Montblanc to my travel bucket list for sure. 

I have to add that Montblanc celebrates a weeklong of medieval festivities, everyone dresses in clothes according to medieval times and some even carry swords! 

As you already know I love learning about traditions, holidays and different cultures. When I first heard about Sant Jordi {back in February} I asked so many questions that I probably bored them, but it was my need to learn and know more about Catalonian culture/traditions. 

Do you have a holiday/tradition you recently learned about? 

Christmas tree a family tradition

Do you have any holiday traditions? In our family we have a tradition of purchasing our Christmas tree the day before Thanksgiving and decorating it on Thanksgiving morning while enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This year was different do to us traveling for Thanksgiving for the first time to spend it with our family.

This past weekend on Sunday when the rain finally gave us a small break we took advantage and visited a local tree stand. The one we chose was ABC Tree Farm and they had great prices as well as services {their website has a $5.00 coupon!}. We were very quick at choosing our tree I'd say that it took us at the most 10 minutes to select a tree and for them to wrap it up and put it in our car. Adventure Girl loves "white" trees, so we ended up choosing a "snowy" tree. 

We promptly began decorating it while listening to Holiday Music. First the lights and the kids chose colorful ones this year. I was particularly excited as this is our first year since Adventure Boy was born that we are decorating with ornaments and not stuffed animals. 

Our first Christmas tree ornament placed is a very special one... It was Adventure Girl's first Christmas. 

We have another tradition of adding an ornament every Christmas that represents all of our adventures from the present year. Of course we have other ornaments, but these are special and every year as we place them on our tree we reminisce on all that happened on that particular year. 

On one particular year Adventure Girl was obsessed with Gingerbread men. 

I caught Adventure Girl placing her Gingerbread ornament with a big smile {and a Halloween themed t-shirt!}. We have ballerina slippers representing a year in ballet lessons for Adventure Girl, our very first ornament from 2001 as Adventure Dad and I celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple. Yet another gingerbread men but this one is special because Adventure Girl painted it herself when she was only 2 years old. My personal favorite ornament with one of my favorite paintings in the background {Van Gogh's Starry Night} it was a very special gift. 

This ornament is also a great reminder of what the season is all about: Peace.

This year was marked by our move from SoCal to NorCal and with it a weather change for us, we have enjoyed the rainy days and fall weather. So we chose this ornament to represent 2012: Rainboots! Aren't they cute?

And to top it all off, our bright circa 60s style star!

Does your family have a Christmas Tree? What traditions do you have for your Christmas tree?

Holiday Traditions.

Photo Credit: Stroller Adventures in SoCal

Every year for the holiday season our family embarks on following through several traditions we have began with our kids, here is a list of what we do for the holidays:

• Take a picture with Santa. When our daughter was born we took her to visit Santa it was easy and a happy visit. The following year our visit was not as smooth, you see she didn't want to get close to Santa without me; so we ended up sitting in the picture with her and turned it into our tradition. We as a family take the picture with Santa and use the wallet size print in an ornament for our tree. It's fun to see how our kids have grown and how we have changed through out the years.

• Decorate a gingerbread house. Our family loves purchasing the kits at our local store and assembling the house and then the kids decorate it, we also use it as a centerpiece at our breakfast nook.

• San Diego Bay parade of lights. On our first holiday's as a married couple we visited Seaport Village and enjoyed a nice dinner and shopping day, we saw crowds were gathering along the bay to watch and enjoy the parade of decorated sail boats and yachts since then every year we enjoy a nice evening of shopping at Seaport Village and then get our hot cocoa and cookies from Seaport Cookie Co. to enjoy the parade.

• New Pj's on Christmas morning. Since our kids were born I have started a new tradition that every Christmas eve they wear a new set of warm pajamas. Our 6 year old knows this tradition well and now reminds me of her new pajamas. We like Gymboree's because of their great quality, soft material and very warm for any winter night.

• Christmas Circle. Less than 5 miles away in the heart of Chula Vista is Christmas Circle, a street that connects with another (Whitney/Mankato) between First and Second Ave. where all the houses are decorated for the holidays and the sidewalks are lit with colorful twinkle lights. We like to head over to Hans & Harry Bakery in Bonita and get our freshly baked gingerbread men and enjoy it with some hot cocoa wearing PJ's in our car while we tour Christmas Circle. Another fun thing to do at Christmas Circle is play "I Spy" with your kids. There is so much to see it is always exciting to take drive there.

• Cookies for Santa. On Christmas eve after dinner and dessert, we bake chocolate chip and sugar cookies for Santa. We place them on a plate next to a glass of ice cold milk with a little thank you note that our daughter writes for him. We also buy a bunch of carrots and leave them next to the cookies for the reindeer. Our daughter loves this tradition and always lets Santa know on her visit to the take a picture with him that his cookies will be waiting for him.

As you can see we have began traditions with our family that will last a lifetime of memories. We hope you enjoy this holiday season to the fullest.

What traditions does your family have for the holiday season? Please feel free to share with us.

Dia de los Muertos

Photo Credit: Maribel Reyes

This tradition where all of the departed are remembered is celebrated in:

Mexico

Guatemala

Perú

Nicaragua

Philippines

Venezuela

El Salvador

Honduras

Costa Rica

Colombia

Bolivia

Ecuador

Each country celebrates it differently, however it takes place November 1st and 2nd. In Mexico,  Altars are made with yellow flowers known as "Flor de zempoalxochitl" or "La Flor de los 400 petalos" as well as candles, a picture of the person you are honoring, sugar skulls a.k.a. calaveritas de azucar and their favorite foods and drinks. It is a very colorful tradition that dates back to the colonial era in the sixteenth century. In Mexico a poem is written to celebrate their life!

Photo Credit: Maribel Reyes, "Calaverita de Azucar" -Sugar Skull