The Christmas Pageant and the Nativities.

I love Christmas, but it's been a little hard for me to get into the Christmas 'Spirit' this year. Except for 2009, all of my Christmases have been enjoyed with cooler to cold weather, snow, fireplaces, hot cocoa and hot apple Cider and all those other wonderful winter memories. It's a little different enjoying a Summer Christmas in South America.

Yesterday changed all that when we went to the Christmas Pageant at the Santiago Temple. 

It was spectactular!

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Since we didn't have tickets for the reserved seating we left early to get a good seat.

 We got off the bus at the Church office building and Mission home and the Sr. Temple Missionaries were out on the street singing Christmas Carols. I see these sweet ladies each week when I go to the temple and they asked Darryl and I to come and sing with them.

We found some pretty decent seats off to the side.

Darryl took a few pictures while we were waiting.

The is the crowd that didn't have reserved seating.

The Choir was obscured by the trees for some of us, but they put up a screen, for those who couldn't see to well, to watch the program on.

Orchestra, Choir, Dancers and Actors. It was a very good program and was broadcast in Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Argentina.

After the program was over we enjoyed the beautiful lights on the temple grounds

They were having a Nativity Walk through the cultural hall of the adjoining Chapel. The wise men and Angel serenaded the crowd with Christmas carols.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating with many different Nativity Sets. I try to get at least one nativity to display from each place we have lived, so seeing all the different nativities really helped to get me in the Christmas Spirit.

I didn't get photos of all the sets, but I did get a few.

I really wish they had put a colorful background behind the crystal Nativity, it was really stunning but I couldn't capture it in the photos.

And this one made us smile.

I believe that is the happiest baby Jesus I have ever seen!

With the post I am now current on my blog. Being 4 months behind is no fun and I will try not to let it  happen again. Tomorrow Darryl and I fly to Key West, Florida to spend Christmas with Cody  and Alisa and our new Granddaughter Rachel. As soon as I get some good photos of my new baby girl I will post them. Until then...Merry Christmas everyone!

Sunny Sunday Afternoon in Santiago and Dancing

My first Sunday afternoon in Santiago Darryl took me into Santiago Centro to show me around. So much going on in this wonderful city. 

We walked through the main plaza and happened onto a Dance Recital.

I loved the costumes.

It seemed like quite the family affair.

The young class did quite well.

I gotta get Darryl one of these Goucho outfits!

I saw these girls out back and had to get a photo.

A good example of the architectural contrasts of this city.. A very old cathedral in the foreground and a modern office building in the background.

One of the many museums in the city.

We saw several very talented street performers.

And the older group dancing.

We were unable to go inside the cathedral so I am looking forward to going back. I hear it is beautiful.

In other fun, I went to my first Relief Society Homemaking Meeting and it was wonderful. The Theme was Provident living, and they also had a cultural display on the country of Peru. 

Yes, I am in a Peruvian Dance Costume.

I learned a Peruvian Folk dance and performed with these lovely ladies from Relief Society.

We have really been enjoying life here in Santiago. It is such a beautiful place.

I love watching the sunsets from our apartment. How blessed we are.