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Just wondering if expats in CR and surrounding countries, if you all celebrate your native countries holidays?
Not talking Christmas or Easter, which of course is celebrated in CR, but holidays like Thanksgiving or other holidays more native to other nations.
if so, what is that like in CR? Hard to find the food,etc needed for said holidays?
Would love to hear what Brits, Canadians, Americans and any others think that are now living, part or full time, in CR (or Panama, Nicaragua,etc)
you can find turkeys here, but they are imported and expensive, and none are organic. just the pumped-up-with-sodium turkeys that cost 3x’s the price. everything else is available too.
we did the big dinner a couple of years ago, and then didn’t do it again. i mean, what is there to celebrate?? it was just an excuse for me to get the turkey from a neighbor so i could make turkey soup!
as for xmas, it’s not a big deal here at all. it’s a day for the kids when baby jesus brings gifts. no santa claus in this culture.
mother’s day is the biggest holiday and everything is closed on that day.
easter is a huge deal. this year we are having thxgiving dinner at a neighbor’s. getting organic chickens instead of chemicalized turkey.
but it could come and go and we would hardly notice. to other expats it’s a huge deal. to me, ehhh!
[quote=”maravilla”]you can find turkeys here, but they are imported and expensive, and none are organic. just the pumped-up-with-sodium turkeys that cost 3x’s the price. everything else is available too. we did the big dinner a couple of years ago, and then didn’t do it again. i mean, what is there to celebrate?? it was just an excuse for me to get the turkey from a neighbor so i could make turkey soup! as for xmas, it’s not a big deal here at all. it’s a day for the kids when baby jesus brings gifts. no santa claus in this culture. mother’s day is the biggest holiday and everything is closed on that day. easter is a huge deal. this year we are having thxgiving dinner at a neighbor’s. getting organic chickens instead of chemicalized turkey. but it could come and go and we would hardly notice. to other expats it’s a huge deal. to me, ehhh![/quote]
Likely for me, quickly T-giving would not be big at all and no loss, partially for religious issues.
Glad the commericalism is not big in Christmas, at least, not like here.
I can see easter, a lot of Catholic culture go all out for that.Chicken sounds great to me and cheaper, more plentiful……
For me, T-giving is a day off and long weekend, will pay for it the following Monday as my case load does not take a day off and certain things cannot be bumped up,etc.
Plus,some family coming in for T-giving, so getting together is main thing…….turkeys are available at pricesmart, masxmenos,and automercado..cranberry sauce in cans is available at automercado, swee potatoes are here but look different and are not as sweet. stove top is available at mas x menos and automercado, canned sweet potatoes at automercado, American Usda choice beef available at pricesmart. We have been here three years and love it. You just learn where things are but American imports are not inexpensive
the orange sweet potatoes ARE here (FRESH, NOT IN CANS that have bpa) and they are every bit as good as the ones we got “up there.” get them at a local farmer’s market. i buy them all year round here.
AM had FRESH cranberries the other day. pricey, but fresh is always better. i just baked three loaves of sourdough bread to make stuffing. it’s so easy to do and you know what’s in it.
I am from Germany and we have a few such days. However, I am not a traditional person and do not care much about traditional events (only as a child, Christmas gifts were important, off course 8)). If I want to eat a turkey in February, I do so, and if I want to eat Tamales in August, I do so too. I don´t do and buy things just because the calender and the commercials tells me to.
Thanksgiving can be lovely here in CR. Our neighbor raises free-range turkeys and pork is easy to find.
And we have a lot to be thankful for here in this wonderful welcoming country. We get together with other expats for the holiday dinner with all the trimmings and look forward to being with friends at Christmas. Our family in the States is scattered, so holidays are more about friends for us. Where ever you are, you take your heart with you.
We also share in the CR holidays, especially Mother’s Day, when we took flowers and cookies to our Tica friends. After all, it is the feeling, the warmth, that makes a holiday. We look forward to our first Christmas with friends here in CR.
[quote=”elindermuller”]I am from Germany and we have a few such days. However, I am not a traditional person and do not care much about traditional events (only as a child, Christmas gifts were important, off course 8)). If I want to eat a turkey in February, I do so, and if I want to eat Tamales in August, I do so too. I don´t do and buy things just because the calender and the commercials tells me to.[/quote]
amen on commercialism statements….Christmas is big, but shrinking as people move, have families of their own and die off……:( Someday, will just take a cruise or go somewhere…
We celebrate the US Mother’s Day as well as the CR Mother’s Day (heck, I deserve it!).
We tend to go back to the States from Thanksgiving through Xmas so our children can spend the holidays with the extended family. We have spent Thanksgiving/Xmas in CR & kept with our normal family tradition. We do not celebrate the commercial aspects of these holidays, so it is important that we instill some of these traditions in our kids (along with celebrating CR holidays).
Jessica
Don’t forget that alcoholic beverages cannot be sold the night before and on many Catholic holidays or election days in Costa Rica. We have been caught off guard several times when trying to purchase a bottle of wine for the evening only to find the store display covered with plastic sheeting. Costa Rica is a Catholic nation and its the law.
Being non-Catholic I have also made the faux-pax of pointing out the smudge on someone’s forehead on Ash Wednesday. . . I really felt dumb. . . Its a good idea to learn which holidays are celebrated locally and how.
The reason for celebrating a holiday from home is to invite friends to a dinner party and enjoy their company. As a recently turned vegetarian (3 years) I’ve also learned that holiday meals are what you make them. A feast is a feast with or without the Turkey or Ham.
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