What's on your mind right now?

[LuisMa]

Go around the block with your suitcases? Are there a lot of people that do that? Have you done it LM?

 

In CR, a lot of people do it. Here it's not traditional. I've never done it in the past because my house never had a block, as the yard goes all the way to the river. But this year I'll try and do it here, even though people might look at us like

 

[Edwin]

Yeah if you're not in Costa Rica you'll get looks. But it's NYE so people might just think you're drunk

[LuisMa]

 

That's what M thinks. But he'll be working until 10, so when he comes I'll have dinner ready and the suitcases ready as well.

[Edwin]

I think you should do it.

[LuisMa]

I think I will. I don't care what the others say. It'll be fun.

 

What are you doing on NYE, Edwin?

[Edwin]

Going out with some friends to see some Elvis impersonator and then going to a club afterwards to dance and drink. And just for the hell of it I might lug my suitcase around the block too. I wanna travel more in 2013!

[LuisMa]

Nice.

 

And yes! Everybody get your suitcases ready! 2013 is the year for traveling!

Edited December 28, 2012 at 03:54 PM by LuisMa

[Edwin]

We are closing early at 2 on Monday I'm liking this company. We've closed early on day before Thanskgiving, Christmas Eve and now New Years Eve. Plus we get all the trading days off like MLK day in January off.

[LuisMa]

Now that you're talking about jobs, I signed my contract today, but classes won't start until the 8th of February, meaning I have an extra job of vacation! I don't know if I'm happy or not, as they will extend well into July, and with the suffocating hot there is in the afternoon, I will be super

 

I hope they will let me wear shorts in July.

 

Unprofessional, yes, but more comfortable.

[DionFanAlways]

I've got my suitcase ready....lol my husband will say I'm nuts also!

(my kids also) "Mi madre es muy loco" as my son says

[LuisMa]

I've got my suitcase ready....lol my husband will say I'm nuts also!

(my kids also) "Mi madre es muy loco" as my son says

 

 

That will be fun, Sherri!!! Take pics!

[Edwin]

What kind of job? How long are contracts there? We don't have that here, we can quit and be fired at any time for any reason.

[Bell]

Then there's the eating of the grapes at twelve

I'd like to know more about this. It was this May when I read a book by Maria Duenas ('El tiempo entre costuras' was the original title; great book, by the way) and there was a part of it where the main character and her father are at a New Year's Eve party eating grapes just before midnight. So I guess it's some tradition but I had never heard about it before. I'm really curious 'cause when I read about it, I found it...well, strange. Could you tell me more?

[LuisMa]

I teach English for Customer Service, Marketing and Sales, sometimes Business & Finance, to people who are unemployed. It's a service provided by the occupational service office of the Government of Catalonia. Last year courses started in October and ended in May, but this year they will start in February, pause in June-July and continue from August to October. Edited December 28, 2012 at 04:52 PM by LuisMa

[LuisMa]

I'd like to know more about this. It was this May when I read a book by Maria Duenas ('El tiempo entre costuras' was the original title; great book, by the way) and there was a part of it where the main character and her father are at a New Year's Eve party eating grapes just before midnight. So I guess it's some tradition but I had never heard about it before. I'm really curious 'cause when I read about it, I found it...well, strange. Could you tell me more?

 

Hi! Well, as the clock strikes 12 midnight, the church bells will sound twelve times, so you have to eat a grape for each time the bell rings. It's very famous here in Spain. There are TV programs about "Las Campanadas" (the bell tolls).

 

So it's all about the bells, Bell!

[Bell]

Thanks, Luis!

[LuisMa]

You're welcome.

 

Another nice tradition here in Catalonia is the Caga Tió (Shitting log), as there is a wooden log, normally covered with a red cloth, which kids hit with a stick, prompting him to s*** candies or other gifts. This takes place on Christmas, Christmas Eve, or Sant Esteve (Saint Steve), which is the Catalonian Christmas holiday on the 26th.

 

 

 

I found this song on Wikipedia, that is sometimes sung during the tradition:

 

"Caga tió,

 

caga torró,

avellanes i mató,

si no cagues bé

et daré un cop de bastó.

caga tió!" s*** log,

 

s*** nougats (turrón),

hazelnuts and cottage cheese,

if you don't s*** well,

I'll hit you with a stick,

s*** log!

An alternate version goes something like this:

"Caga tió,

 

tió de Nadal,

no caguis arengades,

que són massa salades

caga torrons

que són més bons!" s*** log,

 

log of Christmas,

don't s*** herrings,

which are too salty,

s*** nougats (turrón)

which are much better!

[Bell]

It's fun, thanks for sharing!

[LuisMa]

So you see that it's not just about the bells, but also about the s***.

 

There are many people who have a caganer figure in their nativity set, which is a man or boy doing number 2 there!

 

We don't like it very much, so instead we placed a little guy taking a pee in the lake.

 

 

[LuisMa]

I'd also love to hear about the New Year traditions in some of your countries. What do you guys and girls do?

[DionFanAlways]

We always do fireworks and have a bonfire! We will bring our Christmas tree and gather as many as we can and use that for the fire. So Luis, I have never heard of "Caga Tio" ......um interesting translation ..... I guess its like a Pinata? Edited December 28, 2012 at 08:46 PM by DionFanAlways

[LuisMa]

We always do fireworks and have a bonfire! We will bring our Christmas tree and gather as many as we can and use that for the fire. So Luis, I have never heard of "Caga Tio" ......um interesting translation ..... I guess its like a Pinata?

 

No,

 

The log is put on the floor, and the red cloth covers its back. Underneath people put the small presents, so the kids hit it with the stick, and then pretend it has uhmmmm (you know what ) the presents.

[Alex_Incognito]

FINALLY! They changed the "Celine" show tickets to the "Celine's back" picture!!!

[Alex_Incognito]

OMG! They JUST showed "Parler a mon père" on TV5Monde USA!!!!!

[LuisMa]

Alex, what are your new year plans?

[DionFanAlways]

[LuisMa]

That giggle is kinda mischievious, isn't it?

[celine-rc]

My father has gotten me all excited telling me that he might go to Anaheim during the first week of march (therfore, march break) which means that I would be able to go see Céline !!!!!!!!!!!! :maniac:

[LuisMa]

Congratulations, celine-rc! That's really awesome news!

[takeachance]

Vegas in general is on my mind.....