Feliz Natal 2010

Opening Stockings Christmas Eve night

post by Brin

This being our fourth Christmas in Altamira we have discovered that we have taken on some new traditions that are surprisingly endearing. We make our own Christmas tree and other decorations out of jungle foliage, like açai branches and coconut frawns. We also make homemade donuts on Christmas morning. But other than those things our Christmases have been widely diverse. We recall last years Christmas with the midnight dinner at our neighbors house and Josh just recovering from dengue fever. And Christmas the year before that at the ocean. But this Christmas beats all.

On Christmas Eve day we met up at the Guesthouse and worked with Chelsea and Julia, Patty and the Bergquist family to make the most American meal we possibly could with only ingredients found here. Rice and beans were banned and Brazilian polka music should have been. We ate, played, prayed, sisters bickered, and kids disappeared as soon as dishes needed to be washed. So a pretty authentic family Christmas, I think. Our hearts and tummies were full and we went to bed blessed.

Ava, who has earned the name "Sunshine" because of her early-riser tendencies (and also her hair) was given instruction to not wake us until after 7am. Presents would begin whenever Chelsea and Julia arrived at our house, I informed the kids, so if they got antsy I could blame the delay on Chelsea.

The afternoon progressed with activities at the beach. So many of you had a white Christmas, and while I know you all were so happy with it, I could care less. I got to spend it under the sun in a swimsuit! Some time ago, Josh encountered a lady here in Altamira who owns a kneeboard. A real, fiberglass kneeboard, not one made out of moldy Styrofoam like I envisioned. We rented it from her for the day and stopped by Agostinho's house, filled up our car with friends and off we went for a day of boating. Josh became his Uncle Paul (the Ski Whisperer) for the afternoon and we laughed and cheered wildly for our friends kneeboarding for the first time.  The only break we took was to marvel at what our friend Jhonatan brought to shore. At one point Kelsie looked upriver and saw a strange object floating towards us. It is just a log bobbing in the waves, I informed the jungle-savy girl whose home is right at the rivers edge. Well, it wasn't. And Jhonatan knew it too and took the kneeboard out to rescue a half-drowned sloth! Or at least that is what I assumed, later I was informed that he was probably just fine and didn't need rescuing.

Holidays are the hardest time for expats to be away from home. Skype certainly has diminished some of the sting as I was able to watch my little niece Ziann show me her new lip gloss. For Josh and I, it was especially meaningful to spend our Christmas with Xingu Mission friends that have become family of a different sort.

the only one who was forced to ride on the kneeboard

3 Brazilians and a gringo on top

Allison was eager (and nervous) to conquer the kneeboard, but got confident really fast!

Ella decorated Chelsea's gift using old guitar strings

Remembering Josh's accident from last April, Ella painted this on canvas.

Chelsea and Julia and girls with stockings

For more pictures of Christmas click here

Watch Kelsie's footage of the sloth :