It’s the Longest Time of the Year

Good thing it's also the Most Wonderful: of course I'm talking about CHRISTMAS! It's November 1, meaning that holiday hype has been in full swing in the DR for about a month now. Around the beginning of October, signs of the season began to appear:

Spotted on the way to the airport...on October 12. 

Roadside fruit stands are commonplace year-round, but popups featuring grapes, apples, and sweets indicate that Yuletide is upon us. I've also seen street vendors hawking decorations. Life-size straw reindeer, anyone? 

Retail stores are adorned in red, green, and glitter from top to bottom and blaring Christmas carols to boot. Unlike in the US where whatever's left on the shelves gets more deeply discounted as December 25 nears, I'm told that the focus shifts from decking the halls to gift giving around December 1.

Even our neighborhood colmado is in on the action. 

Christmas trees and lights are starting to appear with increasing frequency around Cerro Alto, too. It's a bit jarring, at first, but when you think about it, Halloween isn't really celebrated here and (obviously) neither is Thanksgiving...soooo, Christmas is the next big thing. 

The DR churches and missions are steadfastly holding out since the Church is presently observing the end of the current church year and will soon commence the Advent season that signals the beginning of a new one. I haven't put out the few seasonal items I brought with me yet, but if I find a radio station that's playing 24/7 Christmas music, it's over. I can whine about the commercialism of the season as much as the next guy, but at the end of the day, it just brings me so much JOY!

Until next time, blessings!