Christmas Blog Swap II

It's time to swap blog posts again!  This time I'm swapping with +Lizzie L, my wonderful sister and fellow-blogger.  Enjoy her post about traditions in Haiti, and then go check out her blog!

Because I have been thinking a lot about my Samantha this week, I decided to see what Christmas traditions take place in Haiti!

Christmas is celebrated and enjoyed by all the people in Haiti!  It is a time of celebration and cheer.  Christians in Haiti often view Christmas as an opportunity for a new start, recognizing their need to repent and have new life in Christ.  The people will decorate a tree or pine branch with ornaments and lights.  Then they place a large nativity in front, which will likely take up most of their living room.

Christmas for a Compassion Child

The children in Compassion projects can forget that their lives are different from the wealthy on Christmas.  The projects will give them gifts and a good meal.  They have celebrations and activities to participate in too.  Some of the kids place their shoes with straw in them in from of the Christmas tree or on the porch.  Santa Claus comes in the night, removes the straw, and places gifts in and around the shoes.

Most Haitians observe Christmas on Christmas Eve.  People may go caroling or attend a mass4.  However, most churches do not hold a traditional US Christmas Eve service.  Instead, they will have a midnight mass.  After the people come back from the mass, they will have a "reveillion" (meaning "wake up") supper.  It is more like a breakfast, though, as they start the meal in the early morning.  The usual Christmas or reveillion meal is fried chicken, rice, and beans.

I really enjoyed learning about some ways that my Samantha and Lucie will celebrate Christmas.  It is so excited to know how they will celebrate the birth of the Savior!