Madrid is beautiful during Christmas -its illuminated everywhere you go with lights! Some neighboorhoods have simple lights among tree tops, others have cables stretched across busy streets upon which hang really cool yet simple christmas shapes and retro designs. They are illuminated by hundreds of LED lights. The giant Christmas tree in Puerta del Sol is also incredible. Since I can´t upload photos right now, here is a link to a fellow auxiliar´s blog with great photos of Madrid!
Another thing that I love about Madrid is the Plaza Mayor during Christmas. I decided to stop by again one night and to my surprise it was filled with stands selling small stables and managers to make nativity scenes. Seriously, there were hundreds of tiny figurines of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Three Wise Men, etc. There were also small figurines of regular people of Madrid life; I guess to give a contemporary touch to your belén. That´s what people call nativity scenes in Spanish; it literally means Bethlehem. The entire time I was thinking I wish my mom could see this. She puts up a nativity scene every year and she is very elaborate about it. She would have loved being in the Plaza Mayor.
Anyways, I´m kind of getting a little home sick right now which I guess is normal, but it will be all good when my friend gets here from Granada and we both go to see my aunt tomorrow. Who am I kidding? I have family here at least. I think I´ll make another pumpkin pie since I have several cans left over from Thanksgiving. And one of these days I´m probably going to have a Home Alone Movie Marathon. I bought Home Alone 1 & 2 at FNAC, an electronics store, and it only cost me 8.99 euros. Talk about a deal! Those movies always put me in the Christmas spirit. Later on the 27th my friend Erika and I will be off to Benelux to pass the rest of Christmas vacation and New Year´s there. Thank you to Kat for connecting us with her friends in Amsterdam. Its going to be pure awesomeness. Hasta Luego. Love you Mom, Tracee, Alex, Dad, friends y primos ¡¡Que tengáis una Feliz Navidad y un Prospero Año Nuevo!!
-Charlie
