Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in Belize

So looking back to November, we celebrated Thanksgiving with some friends form the resort. I had to work a 1-9 and we had clients until then too. So while watching the Macy Day Parade (got to see what is hot on Broadway!) I made a pumpkin pie, stuffing, prepped the potatoes, made 2 batches of deviled eggs as one plate landed on the steps of my apartment, a salad and a green bean casserole before work. When Phil finished his day of work at 4 he took care of the turkey and cooked all our foods to be ready around 9. We invited some of our friends who work here to come over after their shifts. So for them it was their first American Thanksgiving. We explained how Thanksgiving all started.

Christmas is different here. This is the time of year that people redecorate their homes. New curtains, new bedding, new furniture, what ever they can afford to do. Some do Christmas Trees and lights on their homes as well. Christmas music starts playing in early November (remember, no Thanksgiving down here so celebrating Christmas comes early). Just a song here and there... picks up more in December closer to Christmas. This is a country that not everyone receives a gift or exchanges gifts. There are many who have big family gatherings, but not as a rule like most in the US. As with England, the celebrate Christmas Day and Boxing day on the 26. Christmas eve is a bit more like New Years Eve...people go out and party to usher in Christmas morning. We were house sitting in the heart of Hopkins for Nurse Judy. The music was loud... I mean LOUD! and then at midnight it stopped... I went to the front of the house and I could hear people cheering all over the streets of Hopkins. It was neat! then the music went until 2-4 a.m.! Christmas Eve Phil and I watched "A Christmas Story" on TBS, opened a few gifts in our care package form the US, and had home made pizza and our family traditional olive cheese ball. It was not the same as being home... it was kinda quiet and lonely.... but we made the most of it! Christmas day we had a ham dinner on Phil's lunch break and I worked a 4-8p.m. at the spa. Christmas is a busy time of the year for the resorts!

New Years Eve I was done working after 7 and we went to Beaches and Dreams to have a nice dinner and celebrate with our friends, Tony and Angela. Surprisingly we stayed up till midnight and had a champaign toast with some other friends in the XPat community. We then went to Hopkins to see what was happening there. Its so neat to see that dancing is not just something to do , but its so much a part of this little village community life. When we went to one of the local bars, there were about 30 people there. Most dancing and most over 40! You are never too old to celebrate. Some people, as in anywhere in the world, drink it up a little, but there are many who will have one beer and sip on it for hours! Maybe its too expensive for some, maybe they just don't drink that much.

You know how we all say "Next year I am cutting back" when it come to Christmas... I learned a lot of the Spirit of Christmas this year. It truly is not in what you receive or give... its what you have and who you have around you. And those you wish you had around you....