What We’re Looking Forward to in December in Monteverde. It is December! In Monteverde, the sound of the wind hums in the forest. At times, it sounds like a stormy ocean. Every now and then a soft drizzle will cover the leaves in shining sunny droplets.
The sunny season is starting, and sunsets become a daily awe-inspiring activity. Clouds fly fast in the sky, and rainbows are found here and there.
We may be in the tropics but we are in the cloud forest and it’s getting chilly here, round 50-60’s F at night! And we are happy to wear sweaters!
And there’s something else you might notice! In the social media groups of Monteverde, we also start looking at several ads of ladies offering tamales for the holidays, our classical Christmas food.
No December can go by without enjoying at least a couple of tamales (Find about tamales in our Flavors of Costa Rica article), and they’re a surefire sign of the holiday season!
And what else do we have to look forward to here?
In terms of the activities for the holidays, firstly we should consider that we are still under the effects of the pandemic, avoiding gatherings in closed spaces and keeping the social distance. Therefore 2021 is an unusual year as there will be fewer activities than usual.
Even so, there is a lot to celebrate!
In Monteverde, the Catholic and the Quaker communities have lived and thrived together in peace and joy. They both celebrate Christmas as a day for cheer and community.
So, let's talk about the different celebrations regarding both cultural groups.
There are also some activities that take place at this time that are not related to Christmas but as ways to collect funds for the community or as scientific research. And finally, there are some universal celebrations that everyone enjoys!
One of the things that strike me the most about Monteverde is how the community gathers to see the amazing beauty of the sun setting in the Nicoya peninsula, behind the Pacific Ocean.
While is raining many sunsets are covered by dark clouds, however, in the sunny season there are some special places where you can see the faraway Nicoya Gulf sea shining with the magic of the twilight colors.
In Cerro Plano, there are some benches strategically placed to see the beauty at the end of the day. And in Los Llanos, there is an open spot where young people of Monteverde gather to enjoy the sunset and meet with friends.
It is a daily pura vida celebration that will take place throughout the whole sunny season, and it starts this month!!
On the first weekend of December in Monteverde, there is a traditional activity called 200 Kilometers for Monteverde.
It started a long time ago when a single man ran 200 Kilometers to collect funds for different causes in Monteverde. This lone ranger effort inspired those around Monteverde, and has become a community celebration with three days and three different routes for jogging, cycling, or walking.
Entry costs around $12 and all funds in 2021 are going to support the creation of sports spaces for the young people of Monteverde. Last year the activity was held to collect food for all the families that were affected by the pandemic.
Another example of the good work of the Monteverde Community Fund, an organization that since its creation in 2010 has been one of the pillars to sustain Monteverde in times of crisis.
We will talk fully about the Monteverde Community Fund in a future post. Look for it!
Ferias, which are local farmer’s markets, are a classic part of Costa Rican culture, and during the holidays they take on some wonderful cheer! This particular feria is held in early December on Fridays and Saturdays close to the Concejo Municipal downtown Santa Elena. It is an opportunity to buy holiday gifts from local artisans, listen to local music, eat delicious food, and support the community all at the same time.
On the second weekend of December, there is a special Feria that benefits the Friends School. This year it takes place at the Santa Elena High School.
Stepping away from celebrations briefly, the bird count is very important to monitor the behaviors of birds and the health of the Monteverde ecosystem. Beyond just tracking the numbers of birds, these counts can tell us how climate change is affecting a particular region in the forest, if there is food scarcity, or if certain human practices are affecting the ecosystem in a certain place.
Many people, especially tour guides and birders subscribe to this yearly bird count.
In 2021 it took place in the second and third week of December, and people from all over the country and even some international travelers joined this conservation effort that is so crucial for local research.
Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus, which means "coming." Historians have traced the origins of formal Advent celebrations to northern Italy, where churchgoers participated in a weeks-long preparation for Christmas that included fasting, prayer, and reflection on Christian principles.
Advent is today regarded as the first season of the liturgical year, which is the church's regular cycle of feast days and scripture readings. Modern Christians, like their forefathers, consider it as a time of preparation, marked by time spent with family, attending church with the community, and getting ready for celebrations surrounding the 24th and 25th..
Interestingly, “las posadas” are not originally Christian. They were celebrations that happened before the winter solstice celebrating the coming of Quetzalcoatl, the Mesoamerican main god. They used to gather in the temples and went through the cities eating a special dough and singing and dancing in order to celebrate his coming.
When the Spanish missionaries came to Mexico they took those celebrations and turned them into the celebration for the coming of Jesus on Christmas day.
Posadas combine with traditional Christmas celebrations throughout Costa Rica and also in much of Central America. Each neighborhood commemorates the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in search of a place to stay and give birth to the baby Jesus. During the celebration, people parade through the streets carrying candles that illuminate the path of the Virgin and sing Christmas carols while accompanying the staging of the pilgrimage.
In Monteverde, the Posadas take place from December 1st until December 24th.
Finally, on December 24th at 7 pm, there is a mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and on the 25th there is a general mass in the Santa Elena Church at 6 pm. If you’re in the area and looking to celebrate, all are welcome, though be aware that mass in Santa Elena is celebrated in Spanish.
The Quakers have also stamped a long legacy of traditional festivities and community meetings during the holiday season, including a gift exchange, the day of "wassail" and local talent, the community BBQ, and Christmas Eve roaming carolers.
Since late November, carols are sung every Sunday following the hour of silent tranquility at the Friends gathering.
The choral aspect of Christmas reaches a climax in the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, when many individuals who love to sing will travel from home to house, eating delicious treats and spending hours sharing the Christmas cheer.
There is also a unique perspective on communal gift exchange at the Monteverde gathering. The only criterion for the presents is that 1) you make them yourself and 2) that you think about what the recipient could want or need. On Christmas Day, some wonderful handcrafted creations are exchanged, but emphasis is on thought and effort rather than frivolity.
Unfortunately the traditional Wassail day this year has been canceled as well as the BBQ on Christmas eve, though festivities like the gift exchange and other gatherings will be held on zoom. Hopefully, for 2022 everything will be back to normal and we can gather again for a Silent Meeting followed by the joy of the Monteverde Quakers and community on December 24th.
And even though some things have changed this year, or will be held online, the Christmas spirit remains.
After all, for this December 2021, we are also celebrating the coming back of thousands of visitors to our forests and we are joyfully getting ready to have our streets, stores, adventure centers, and hiking trails filled with the awe and wonder of our guests coming from everywhere to celebrate the joy of life in our cloud forests.
In Monteverde, every day is a happy day. Seriously. They are all holy. People are always in a true Christmas mood the whole year round and you will feel that if you allow yourself to experience the people of Monteverde, their extraordinary sense of community, and their incredible warmth.
Houses may be decorated, or not. You may hear the carolers singing here and there, or not. But simply getting a coffee in one of the local restaurants will tell you a lot about the Christmas Spirit in this area, at any time of the year. Monteverde lives with an open heart, and that makes all the difference.
So Merry Christmas, and hope to see you soon!
Reference:
https://www.notimerica.com/cultura/noticia-celebra-navidad-centroamerica-20161222091307.html
Walking with Wolf. "Monteverde Christmas – Walking with Wolf." Walking with Wolf. n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2021. <https://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/tag/monteverde-christmas/>