A SPANGLISH CHRISTMAS - T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

 

 

 

Las Palabras:  Caramba - gracious; Camas - beds; Calzones - pants; Cocina - kitchen; El Viejo - the old man; Muy Contento - very happy; Poco Boracho - a little drunk; Mucho Cuidado - much care; Obligado - compelled; Dulces y Regalos - Sweets and presents; Grito - shout; Cabrito - little goat; Venados - deer; Volados - flight; Afuera - outside; Pecho - chest; Techo - roof; Jalea - jelly; Chimenea; chimney; Sala - living room; Viento - wind; Verdad - truth;

T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the casa not a creature was stirring, caramba!  Que pasa?

Los ninos were all tucked away in their camas, some in long calzones, some in long pajamas.

While mama worked late in her cocina, el viejo was down at the corner cantina, living it up with los amigos.  Carrancho!  Muy contento and poco boracho.

While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado in hopes that old Santa would feel obligado to bring all the ninos, both buenos and malos, a nice bunch of dulces and other regalos. Outside in the yard there arose such a grito, that I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito.  I ran to the window and looked afuera and who in the world do you think it era?

Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero came dashing along like a crazy bombero.  And pulling his sleigh instead of venados were eight little burros approaching volados.  I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:  "Ay Pancho! Ay Pepe!  Ay Cuca! Ay Beto! Ay Chato! Ay Chuchi, Maruca y Nieto!"

Then standing erect with his hand on his pecho, he flew to the top of our very own techo.  With his round little belly like a bowl full of jalea, he struggled to squeeze down our own chimenea.  Then huffing and puffing at last to our sala with soot smeared all over his red suit de gala, he filled all the stockings with lovely regalos, for none of the ninos had been very malos.

Then chuckling aloud, seeming muy contento, he turned like a flash and was gone like the viento.  And I heard him exclaim--and this is verdad,

"Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!"

Gracias a Profesor De La Torre.  Merry Christmas, mis amigos!

Maria

 

2006, 2007, 2008,2009 - 2010 - The Desi & I are thriving in PV and very much in touch with Yelapa and our extended family there....A book of my favorite blog posts will be coming out soon....will e-mail details!  Felicidades, amigos

Comments

[CancunCanuck]

Love it, thanks so much for a good holiday giggle!

[Kathryn Hardin]

Very nice, Maria. Clever and funny. I like it a lot.

[Steven Roll]

Hi Maria,

I've enjoyed reading your blog over the last few months. Not only for the wonderful pictures, but also for the Spanish lessons.
Today, I've launched my own blog about traveling in Latin America. It's called Travelojos. Here is the link: http://travelojos.com/

I am wondering if you would add my blog to your blog roll.

Thanks,

Steve Roll

[Janice & Gerald Ammundsen]

Oh Maria! What a wonderful poem! Gerald and I really enjoyed it.
You'll likely not remember us, especially as it's been a couple of years since we've been to Yelapa. Gerald once lived in Bella Coola, and is a good friend of Rory's. Please say hola to Rory and Lucky from us.
Janice & Gerald
Quadra Island, BC, Canada