The new year has begun. Gradually we get back into a daily routine, although several organisations are still closed and many people are still on holiday.
Christmas in Nicaragua is mainly celebrated in the evening of Christmas Eve, the 24th of December. It is a family celebration with a dinner and attending mass late at night.
Our Ruach Home has not yet got a Christmas or New Year tradition. On Christmas Eve we enjoyed a special Christmas meal for our residents, staff and some people with whom we have a special relationship. The meal was preceded by a time to reflect. We met early so that people would not have to miss out on celebrations with their own families. Late at night we were woken up by the bangs of all sorts of fireworks. It was encouraging that so many staff including those who had a day off wanted to be with us!
On New Year’s Eve we repeated the Christmas Eve recipe, literally and figuratively, albeit without invitees this time. We had a similar programme and the same banquet, because doña Mayra had prepared so much food at Christmas that there was still enough left on the 31st! After everyone had left and our residents had retired to their beds, I watched a movie and went to bed. And I didn’t even wake up from more firework bangs at midnight!
Getting married
December 30st is popular wedding day here. Sometimes a wedding is a small affair in the family context, sometimes it is a huge party. A civil wedding is the rule, a church wedding the exception, especially when younger people are concerned. It happens quite regularly that an older couple already married by law decide to have a church wedding later. The fact that the Roman Catholic Church officially still considers divorce a taboo will probably explain this. In the picture you see bride Genesis and her proud mother Luzmilda, both members of the Ruach Board.
Wedding party
The invitation stated that invitees were expected at 7:30 pm. There were many guests as the parents of Omar are quite well off. I had asked Luzmilda for a lift to the venue, a restaurant just outside Juigalpa. Even on a wedding day time is not important here. We arrived around 9 pm, just ahead of the bride!
The lawyer who was going to preside over the marriage ceremony needed to be called. Fortunately she was still able to make it to the venue, as she had put the occasion in her diary for the next day.
After the official marriage ceremony the party started with the first dance by bride and bridegroom, followed by a photo shoot with all invitees while in the meantime the food was being served. The table looked festive and there was no shortage of soft drinks, rum or beer.
The Mariachats came, a band that played dance music that suited me reasonably well. They alternated with the Chicheros whose music I wasn’t inspired by and could not dance to, unlike most of the other invitees.
At midnight, together with some other invitees, I left the party that was still in full swing, who knows for how much longer. Let the party be a good start to a good married life! Genesis and Omar, congratulations!!
