Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas 2010 - Barcelona

Christmas time is pretty much my favorite time of year, with the exception of the cold cold New England weather (though I will admit to slightly just slightly missing the snow).  And so it was really hard for me to not be at home with my friends and family this time of year.  Thankgiving, while great, is just not Christmas.  I could manage Thanksgiving here, but Christmas is a whole other animal.  I'm not even Catholic and yet, I'm drawn to this holiday full of family, friends, fun, and giving to others.  It's a time where everyone gets along and the spirit of the season tends to be contagious.  I love looking at all the houses all decorated, the smell of the pine trees, the chaos of getting everything ready and getting the shopping done and of course knowing all the time we get to spend with everyone we love.

Our neighborhood and family have lots of Christmas traditions that we will be missing this year.  Amongst them setting up the luminaries in the 'hood, making cookies for Santa with a bunch of the boys' friends, eating Chinese food with ours and the kids friends... then on Christmas Day, having my dad over to help open the gifts and then later on heading to the Cape to see Josh's family (and eat lots of yummy potato pancakes!).  It literally pains me to not be doing this year and yet, I've survived it - learning I can survive more than I realized and that it's my husband and children being with me that make the most difference in the world!

We debated back and forth on if we should go home this year for Christmas.  The kids have 16 days off (considered a short break here this year!) so it would have been doable from a time standpoint.  But after much discussion several months ago we had decided that this would be our only Christmas away, after all, our contract was supposed to end in December 2011 which would put us home in time for the holidays next year (however now that we are staying longer we'll have to re-evaluate this plan for future holidays).  So what would one holiday away from home be in the scheme of many holidays with our family.  Based on that we decided we would go on a European vacation instead.  At first it was going to be somewhere Christmasy but then we decided to stick with Christmas in Barcelona where the kids could open their presents at home, play with their gifts and we could just relax.  Instead we will be heading to the Canary Islands in a few days to relax and play in the sun!! 

However, as much as I'm looking forward to the Canaries, I think we've all been a little down about not being home.  I see this the most in Aidan.  His actions in the last few weeks are indicitive to me that he's missing out on being with his friends this time of year.  We have lots of traditions at home for Christmas Eve and Christmas at home - some of which we will try to do here and other things we will have to create some new traditions.  We made our own ornaments this year instead of using ones from home (which are still at home).  We bought caganers and caga tios - Catalan traditions, embracing our "new" lives here.  And we will not be travelling on Christmas at all, a first for us - staying home all day to relax and play.

Christmas Eve we tried to do some of our usual stuff embellished with opening our caga tio gifts.  First we did our Christmas cookies - Liam a little more into it than Aidan this year.  Though Aidan embraced the decorating part which was good.  They put out a plate each for Santa (poor Santa was mighty full Christmas night!) along with a letter to him that they each wrote.  I think the boys both missed having their friends to make cookies with them - a tradition in our house in Attleboro.  We missed all of the kids here this year!!!!

Liam loved helping to roll out the cookie dough!

Aidan liked it when the cookies got stuck in the cutter :)

Decorating time!

This was Liam's favorite part!

Daddy gives Liam some help with his cookies...

After doing our cookies, the boys were ready to "attack" their caga tios.  You may have remembered this from my previous blog entry but here is a cliff notes version of the caga tio.  It's literally translated to a poo log and you are supposed to hit him with a stick (this is after feeding him for a month) and sing a song while telling him to poop presents for you.  Seems simple enough right?  Except that the blanket that the caga tio came with isn't that big to hide much under AND my kids are a little shrewder than I realized.  Aidan noticed right away that the blanket looked like it had been adjusted and started to tell Liam something was under it.  Aidan wasn't thrilled with his gift (of tiddlywinks which I happen to love!) but Liam loved his gift of an Imaginext Airplane that stayed with us for the rest of the night.  The video of them beating their caga tios is right here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9RZmqT9GYg

Dinner time!  Our annual tradition is to have Chinese food with our neighbor friends but given that our friends aren't here we were going to attempt it on our own.  However, we had 3 reasons for not going - 1.  The chinese food places didn't open til late (like 8 or 9 - too late for the kids) ; 2.  We hadn't had chinese here yet and didn't know how it would be; 3.  We couldn't get a reservation on such late notice, being the slackers we are and attempting it on Christmas Eve morning!  Instead, we opted to go to an Irish bar that Josh's co-workers had said was good.  It seemed a bit casual for Christmas Eve but then looking back, is Chinese food much more formal???  So off we went to Dunne's Irish Pub near the Jaume stop.  And I'm disappointed in the fact that we didn't find this little gem before.  Most pubs or bars you go in to here are smokey and cramped but this place was super clean, bright, high ceilings and looked pretty new.  And bonus, the food was good too! 

After dinner we quickly went down to City Hall in search of the caganer in the nativity scene.  We didn't find him the last time but this time he was there!  I was really surprised how empty that this area was given that it was Christmas Eve and I would think there would be more families down by the nativity scene.  But from what I understand Christmas isn't as big here as it is at home - Three Kings will be much bigger (though we will be celebrating that in the Canaries) and there are much more celebrations surrounding that. 

Left:  Caganer doing his "thing" in the nativity scene in City Hall
Right:  One of the buildings in the City Hall plaza that had music and a lights festival - I managed to capture the image of the caga tio as he "floated" by...


Making our reindeer food!

Aidan insisted his reindeer food have different colors than Liam's

Cool pic of Aidan tossing his reindeer food

Both boys are hoping Santa's reindeer are attracted to the food in our yard!

Leaving a note for Santa with the cookies

The boys' notes and cookies

After putting some tired kids to bed, Josh and I were up late setting up the gifts (which numbered way too many) and moving the tree and table around in order to make room in a space that is already pretty cramped.


Christmas morning I was up long before the kids.  This was a total surprise but then we do have these amazing darkening shades that work wonders in the morning.  That and it's still dark til almost 9AM here these days.  Aidan was under the impression, that sadly Santa would not be coming to see him.  Yes, it was that bad of a week.  And so no one was more excited to see tons of presents under the tree than he was!  And Liam, my god, no one can unwrap a present faster.  He got very upset when he would pick up a present and find out it was Aidan's.  I know it's the age and it was pretty amusing to watch him.  Aidan was a bit more patient and after whipping thru the first few presents he actually slowed down and took his time. 

Aidan opening his first gift of the day

Wooooo!!!  Liam got a big kid 2 wheeled scooter!

He appears to like what he's seeing!

OMG - A puffle!

Mario and Luigi!!!

Holy cow - a DS XL!

Hey, what did you get???

I think that airplane will go nicely with this aircraft carrier!

And now we can make our own crabby patty gummies!

I think this is for both of us...

Cool - books!

No way!!  My own ipod so I don't have to share with Liam any more!

He appears to be very focused...

Happy boy today :)

I LOVE video games!

There's still more???

"My art teacher had one of these but this one is bigger!"

New games!

Eating Super Mario gummies while unwrapping his new pirate costume (a BIG winner)!

Wow!  How many Super Mario guys did you two get???

Stocking time!

Looks like they got some great gifts in their stockings!

I made cinnamon rolls from SCRATCH since we can't buy them here!

Arrghhhh - I'm Pirate Liam!

Both kids playing their DS's (Liam with a nice hot chocolate face)


The big presents of this year - Aidan got a new DS XL (his old DS unwillingly going to his little brother) and a new ipod (no longer having to share the old hand me down one with his brother).  Liam got a 2 wheel big boy scooter (we'll pass the 3 wheel one along to someone), Alphie the robot (remember him from the 80s??) and some cool Toy Story Action Links.  Some sharing gifts were an Imaginext Air Craft Carrier, a Super Mario Race Track and lots and lots of Super Mario action figures to play with. 

They played nicely pretty much all day - plenty of toys to go around for sure!  Josh made us a fabulous breakfast with french toast, egg in the nest, bacon and amazing hot chocolate (thanks to our Angelina's hot choc mix from our Paris trip this summer!) and I made cinnamon rolls from SCRATCH (yes, it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks!).  I'm still missing everyone from home but feeling better about being here right now.  We'll skype with everyone later on but in the meantime it's been nice just hanging out in our pj's without having to get out the door to go anywhere.  Josh went out to the store and said a lot is actually open - like I said, Three Kings is much bigger here so I wouldn't be surprised to see stuff open.  Maybe we'll take a little stroll out and about today to get some fresh air after playing inside ALL day!!! 

Merry Christmas to all!!!
Love
Julie

Sunday, December 19, 2010

BFIS Winter Concerts & Fiestas

Tis the season!!  With winter break soon upon us, both Aidan and Liam have winter concerts and parties for each of their classes.  One of the things I love the most about this school is how much they embrace the arts!! 

Liam had his class party first, on Wed, Dec 15 - I'm still in awe at how Miss Tere and Miss Andrea were able to get 13-3 year olds to stand in a line and listen to instruction for a full 5 minutes!!  Then the kids stood around the snack table - a habit I'm sure they'll have for years to come (I know I still like to hang by the snack table and it's been a few years since I was in nursery school!).  You'll see in the video that Liam doesn't do much singing which I find funny because for the last few weeks he has been running around the house singing all these songs.  Stage fright perhaps?  Excitement of the moment?  Regardless, it looks to me like he still had a great time!  See for yourself! 

Liam getting ready for their "presentation"

Everyone gets in line

Starting to sing!

The "best" part according to Liam is the snack table!

Aidan had his musical the day after on Thursday night.  This is an event that is for grades K-5 and is held offsite at an auditorium since BFIS does not actually have it's own auditorium.  I can tell you right now that from the moment I told him he would not only need to wear a button down shirt, but also nice pants and shoes, it was a battle of the wills!!!  Who would win????  I will just leave it that it was not pretty and Aidan will not be watching any tv this weekend...

Aidan and his friend Tony... apparently Tony's mom and I have the same "great" taste :) 
How cute are they???

But it was worth it to get up to the concert.  Josh originally was going to stay home with Liam since it would be a late night but at the last minute we decided to all go together.  Unfortunately Josh, Liam and I were towards the back of the auditorium and Aidan was standing in the back row of his performance so I didn't get a good shot of him but you'll hear all the kids from kindergarten and first grade if you click the link below.

Aidan is a bit hidden in the video and I apologize for the shaky hands while filming - it was cold! Aidan is behind a student near where the teacher is standing. At one point the student in front of him (in the navy sweater) starts bopping around and you can catch a glipse or two of Aidan!

The concert was for kindergarten thru grade 5 (the boys' school is Nursery thru grade 12 so this was elementary only) and each grade did a song with a 2 performances done by the entire elementary school.  Josh and I were in awe.  Sure their voices don't sound perfect and who expects them to at this age, but what amazed us was that there were several songs sung in a variety of languages, not just Spanish and English.  The one below was sung in Hebrew, Arabic, English, Spanish, French and Dutch and was done by grades K-5.  This kind of thing is the reason I love this school.  Let's put it this way, the 3rd grade class (which I didn't record) volunteered to do their song in both German and English.  I applaud the music teacher for encouraging the kids to go outside what might be their normal comfort level and learn not only about music but music in different cultures.

Elementary school singing Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu


One last song that the kids sang all together was their school song, written by a current teacher at the school.  The kids really got in to it and it was great seeing them all waving their hands while singing!

BFIS school song

To stray for a moment from the concert into one of the reasons I love this school, let me note that near the end of the concert some students from the high school got on the stage.  They made a request from the parents to make donations to their cause, Habitat for Humanity.  But this isn't the Habitat for Humanity at home where you go to a town in Massachusetts that needs some assistance building houses.  These kids are going to Senegal... to build houses.  It amazes me how broad their horizons are and how much broader those of my children will be by just being around the kids in this school.  Anyways, moving on...

The final part in the school festivities is Aidan's class party being held today, Friday.  It was very laid back and yet still festive.  The teachers took time with each child to go around the room and ask them what they are thankful for this year.  It was great listening to all their comments - some were typical of a 1st grade response and others were much deeper.  They also had done a secret santa where they had to make a holiday card for another student in their class who's name they pulled from a hat.  The cards were adorable and in 3D!  They had a delightful time having snacks and hanging out and chatting - a great way to end the semester. 

Listening to the teacher about how we need to give thanks this time of year (Aidan is on the left hidden behind the boy in the striped shirt)

Each person telling what they are thankful for this year

The rest of the class giving their thanks

And now it's time to chow down!

Yum - great holiday snacks!

The kids will be on vacation starting this Thursday until January 10th.  A much longer vacation than they would have at home.  Funny because I've heard parents complaining that this is a "short" vacation this year.  Hmmmm.... I think that 18 days will be more than enough for me!  Looking forward to sharing our Christmas Eve/Day pics with you next week along with our upcoming trip planned for the Canary Islands.  AND believe it or not, we are quickly approaching our one year anniversary here (Josh already had his earlier this month) in just a few weeks!!!  So lots of updates to come.  Happy Holidays!!

Julie

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Our New Catalan Christmas Traditions - Caga Tio and Caganer

Let's first start off this entry to say that Josh and I are not religious - at all.  If you are in any way religious and might be offended by the possible poking fun at a Christmas tradition here in Barcelona then stop reading here.  However, if you are in the mood for a good chuckle on a Saturday night, keep reading... I think you'll find it amusing, especially if you like potty humor.

Since we can't be home this year for the holidays enjoying our usual traditions with our friends and families we hope you will help us to "embrace" our new traditions here in Barcelona.

CAGA TIO

As I hinted about in my Tis the Season blog in mid November, it's time to give you the scoop on our new friend, Caga Tio, otherwise known as the poop log.  I'm sure after that entry many of you were quite honestly think WTF, a poop log at Christmas?  Who does that kind of thing?  Well, the Catalans do.  And like many of the other traditions we've come to know and (mostly) to love in the last year, it's different from those we have at home.  But when in Rome... buy a pooping log!

I found out about caga tio thru a friend of mine who was here for Christmas last year.  This is a tradition exclusive only to Catalunya, the region in Spain where we live.  The kids have been absolutely dying for one and tonight we finally made their wish come true.  We went down to the Christmas market near The Cathedral and purchased not one, but two of these Catalan gems, one for each of the kids.  He kind of reminds me of Mr. Hanky from the old South Park days... sort of...

On our way to the Christmas Market after a dinner at Hard Rock... a little American tradition mixed with some Catalan tradition tonight!

Entering the Christmas market - apparently everyone else had the same plans tonight - it was mobbed!

The form of the Caga Tio found in many Catalan homes during the holiday season is a hollow log of about thirty centimetres length. It's only been in recent years that a face and legs along with a little red cap were added. Before this he literally was a piece of dead wood - I honestly can't imagine how that would have been fun for anyone but hey, to each their own.  

The first of many caga tio displays - this one had mainly mini ones

And another display

This is where we bought ours.  Actually 2 of the front ones were the ones we bought - Aidan liked that they came with blankets.  

Liam checking out his new caga tio
 
Someone selling something other than Caga Tios!
 
The boys are very proud of their Caga Tios!
  
Aidan set up his caga tio as soon as we got home and demonstrated hitting him with a stick.  I asked him what he was going to name him.  "Mr. Christmas" was his reply.
 
 Starting on December 8 which is a holiday here (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), the tradition is to give the tio a little something to “eat” every night and to cover him with a blanket so that he will not be cold.  My kids did this tonight so I guess we are slightly ahead of the game. 

Aidan with our Caga Tios and Caganers
Too bad Liam fell asleep before he could see them all set up.

On Christmas Day (or Eve, your preference), you are supposed to put him partly into your fireplace and order him to “poop” presents (this is kind of like the hide the matzo where you hide the present right before the kids start to hit it). To make him poop you are supposed to beat him with sticks (ours even came with the sticks to him him with). When you hit him with the stick you are supposed to sing the following song:

Caga Tio                           Poop log
caga torro                         poop turron (for those that don't know that's a candy similar to a toffee)
avellanes i mato                 hazlenuts and cottage cheese
si no cagues be                  if you don't poop well
et dare un cop de basto     I'll hit you with a stock
caga tio!                            poop log!

After hitting it softly with a stick during the song it is hit harder on the words "caga tiĆ³!". Then somebody puts his hand under the blanket and takes a gift - I look at this as similar to hidding the matzo. The gift is opened and then the song begins again.

CAGANER

The Caganer is another new tradition for us here though he originates from some time around the 17th century.  Though he will stand alone in our house unlike in other Catalan homes.  That's because he normally is hidden in a nativity scene in one's home - not near the manger scene.  Not being religious we don't have a nativity scene here although we were tempted to purchase one tonight just so our caganers (yes plural, Josh bought 4!) would have a "home". 

The Caganer, unlike the Caga Tio, is popular in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Southern France - not just here in Catalunya.  You are probably wondering why you might find something that most would find offensive in such a highly religious display.  We were wondering the same.  This is what we found on wikipedia:

  • Tradition
  • Perceived humor.
  • A fun spectacle, especially for children.
  • The Caganer, by creating feces, is fertilizing the Earth.
  • The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, or gender, everyone shits.
  • Increased naturalism of an otherwise archetypal (thus idealised) story, so that it is more believable, taken literally and seriously.
  • The idea that God will manifest himself when he is ready, without regard for whether we human beings are ready or not.
  • The caganer reinforces that the infant Jesus is God in human form, with all that being human implies.
In the past the Caganer was always considered to be a Catalan peasant and wore a red cap and white shirt.  In more recent years you will find other characters (as you'll see from our pictures) and back in 2008 they even had one of President Obama (I did not see this one at the market)!!  If you aren't into a pooping statue they also make a Pixaner who pees in the nativity scene.  No, we didn't buy him.  Maybe next year!

A stand at the market with Caganers and Pixaners

 A Barca Caganer - Aidan loved this one (and he actually took the picture)!

Aidan demonstrating for us what a Caganer does...

Josh with a surprise for the boys... sorry you've got to wait til you get home to see it!

At home - our display of Caga Tios and Caganers.  Of the Caganers we have two of the more traditional Catalan ones along with a Smurf (who poops blue if you didn't notice) and Bart Simpson.

There is supposed to be a huge nativity scene in City Hall Plaza and I'm very curious to see if we can find the Caganer there - back in 2005 there was a campaign against the Caganer but from what I understand he was "reinstated" into the nativity scene because many felt it was breaking with Catalan tradition.  We'll be making a trip down there this week and I'll be sure to post any pics of what we find! 

Hope you enjoyed our new holiday traditions as much as we have!

Julie