Preparing for Christmas in Ecuador - our first!

In front of the Christmas Tree in the office.


Christmas here will be different. No family to come over or to go and see. No snow!!!!! No fireplace!!! We did however have a Ward Christmas Party. A talent show was presented and then a dinner. I was even able to help in the kitchen for a while. The Church buildings here are not as big and there are no tables and chairs to set up for a dinner. We turned the benches around so they faced the stage for the talent show and everyone just held their plates for the dinner. The kitchen is very small, no fridge, but there is a stove and a small sink with cold water. We enjoyed a very good meal, rice with ham, onions, peas, green pepper, red pepper, walnuts, and raisins. It sounds odd but it really tasted good, it was served with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and sliced green olives with a salsa hot sauce on top. They have the Americans bring dessert and chocolate is requested. So we all baked chocolate goodies. Sorry we didn´t get pictures of the food, I was helping in the kitchen and Dad is not a pathological photographer like I am.
I have tried to do a little decorating in the apartment without spending too much. We leave the decorations for the next missionaries so we are adding to them each year.
The country really gets into Christmas; there are lots of decorations up, mostly Santa and Christmas Trees. We hear that New Years is the really big Celebration. There are fireworks and then effigies are burned. We will have to watch from our window because I don´t think we want to be out. I´ll post more after our Christmas Day.
We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!


Our new nativity. It is beautiful.



Our Christmas decorations. Dad decorated the tree all by himself.



The Relief Society did a traditional dance.



Several of the Sisters sang Christmas Carols.



The Primary Children did a Fashion Show.


One of several Christmas trees in the city and the malls are all decorated much like home.