Originally a religious holiday to honor St. Patrick, who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, it has evolved into a celebration of all things Irish.

I have a special affinity for St. Patrick’s day as I am part Irish (Scottish and English make up the other parts) and also my mother’s father, my mother and my sister and my aunt were all born on March17th.

New York City hosted the first St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17th, l762 featuring Irish soldiers serving in the English military. The parade has become an annual event with President Harry S. Truman attending his very own self in 1948.

Congress has proclaimed March as Irish-American Heritage Month in 1995 and the sitting president issues a proclamation each year.

Now for a little history lesson. Naomh Padraig (c 387-17 March 493) was a Romanized Celt and Christian Missionary who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland.

When he was about 16 he was captured from Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning (more…)

This morning I was enjoying a leisurely morning at Yoly’s Beauty Parlor (manicure, pedicure and hair) when I overhead a man talking about wanting to move to Mexico from Durango, Colorado but was having difficulties in convincing his wife to make the move.

I totally related to this as it took 10 years for my husband to talk me into making the move from Toronto 15 years ago.

As I have often said, I wish he had found the right words sooner as I have enjoyed every minute of every day since arriving in 1994.

This is not uncommon as many couples are not always on the same page as one party or the other is dragging their feet.

There are many reasons for this. Fear of the unknown is at the top of the list along with fear of language challenges.

Also leaving family, children and grandchildren, aging parents, homes lived in for many years and familiar surroundings give many pause.

I understand and have experienced all of these doubts along with the worry of raising our children (then 10 and 12) here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

Two things finally pushed me into agreeing with my husband to make the move. First was the coldest winter in Canada for over 50 years and second, the huge increase in our real estate taxes we were about to face.

It was my husband’s mother who put to rest of my fears about my children by telling me (more…)

We are all so lucky to be living in paradise. Especially, when we watch the news and see all the snow storms affecting the north east we can take great comfort in the warmth of our hosts and climate.

When I first arrived here I wanted to buy a turkey for my wonderful Viki (the girl who has helped me in our house since we have been here) and her family.

A friend of mine told me that she may not have an oven big enough to accommodate a turkey so she suggested that I buy her a smoked turkey which is fully cooked and ready to serve. I have adopted this tradition and every year in addition to their holiday pay and Christmas bonuses I purchase a smoked turkey for my Viki and our gardener along with some nice Tequila filled chocolates.

I also give a regalito (life gift) of cash to our pool man, dog walker and his family and (more…)

Posadas are a very important part of Mexican Christmas celebrations.

The word posada means inn or shelter in Spanish and the posadas are usually a recreation of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem.

The posadas take place for the 9 nights leading up to Christmas from December 16th-24th.
These 9 nights are meant to represent the 9 months Mary carried Jesus in her womb or, alternatively, the 9 days journey to reach Bethlehem.

Neighborhoods across Mexico hold these posadas and they are also becoming popular in the United States.

Usually, there is a procession with candles and sometimes with people playing the parts of Mary and Joseph (here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala they arrive on the backs of burros) and sometimes these images are carried.

The procession will go to a particular home or business (a different one every night) where a special song is sung.

This song is called La Peticion de Posada and those outside sing the part of Joseph asking (more…)

The Mexican Revolution (Revolucion Mexicana) was a major armed struggle that started November 20th, 1910 with an uprising led by Fransisco I. Madero against long time autocrat Porfirio Diaz. It is being celebrated today however.

Overt time the Revolution changed from a revolt against the establishment to a multi-sided civil war. After prolonged struggles, its representatives produced the Mexican Constitution of 1917.

The Revolution is generally considered to have lasted until 1920, although the country continued to have sporadic but comparatively minor outbreaks of warfare well into the 1920’s.

The Cristero War was the most significant relapse of bloodshed. The Revolution triggered the creation of the National Revolutionary Party in 1929 (renamed the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI in 1946). Under a variety of leaders the PRI held power until the general election of 2000.

Fiestas and celebrations are held throughout Mexico to mark this (more…)

Every town and village in Mexico has a patron saint and the patron saint of Ajijic is San Andres (St.Andrew), which as is the custom, is also the name of the church in the plaza.

A town’s saint’s fiesta is usually the biggest, longest and liveliest of the year and the Fiestas de San Andres are no exception.

They are held the last 9 days of November and every night is sponsored by a local business or association and every night is different. There is the common denominator of the Castillo (tower of fireworks) which graces every night.

I will first describe the night that Le Nueva Posada sponsors as it is the one I have participated in every year for the last 15 years but the other nights have a similar format.

We all meet at Seis Equinas (Six Corners at the far west of Ajijic) and everyone mills (more…)

When we were in Toronto we knew exactly what to expect for Halloween. It was clearly mapped out as it had been for years even back to when we trick or treated ourselves. First was the agonizing decision of choosing the costume. Then, of course, would it be bought or home made?.

Back in my day my mother always made my Halloween costumes and I remember my favorite being an Egyptian Princess ensemble complete with billowing pants, a halter top and a jaunty hat with yards of material flowing down. I was thrilled.

As we were working parents we chose to buy the costumes for our children but always bought the make-up and my husband expertly applied it to our little ghosts or goblins.

Once the costume was donned and the appropriate make-u applied the tears would always come as our little ones had to wear coats over their masterpieces. Some years we managed to get the costumes on over the coats but this seldom worked to anyone’s satisfaction. You have to remember we were in Toronto, Canada and it was cold at the end of October.

Then came the actual trick or treating going up and down neighboring streets ringing the bell and demanding candy. For several years our kids carried UNISEF cans for people to make donations to (more…)

Each year on the night of September 15th, the President of Mexico re-enacts the event of the Grito de Dolores which was the battle cry of the Mexican War of Independence. This was uttered on September 16th, 1810 by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato.
Hidalgo and several educated criollos were involved in a planned revolt against the Spanish colonial government, and when the plotters were betrayed, he declared that war should be waged against the Spaniards.
Just before midnight on September 15th, 1810, Hidalgo ordered the church bells to be rung and gathered his congregation. Flanked by Ignacio Allende and Juan Aldama, he addressed the people in front (more…)