Mardi Gras – New Orleans, LA
“Throw me something mister!”
We took the kids to their first Mardi Gras in the Big Easy.
Kids? Mardi Gras? Do those two even go together?
Dia de los Reyes – Three Kings Day at the Atlanta History Center
On January 4, we attended Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) at the Atlanta History Center. This annual event is sponsored by the Mexican Consulate and the Insituto de Mexico.
Besides the free admission to the museum and the grounds, a large celebration was held in the ballroom. Children were sporting royal crowns and they could get their picture taken with the three kings. There were live performances on the stage, as well as tamales for sale. (more…)
Christmas Festival of Lights – Natchitoches, LA
Natchitoches is the oldest town in Louisiana, the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Louisiana and home of the famous Natchitoches Meat Pie. On our way back from Houston, we decided to make a detour through Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-Uh-Tish) to catch the Christmas Festival of Lights before it ended on January 4. Although this is the 88th year of the festival, I’ve only been to see the lights once before – suprising considering I grew up only 60 miles away in Shreveport.
However, it wasn’t until the Christmas lights were featured in the 1989 blockbuster movie “Steel Magnolias,” starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts, that people in Shreveport started paying attention to Natchitoches – the sleepy (yet Lousiana’a oldest) town situated on the Cane River. Although I enjoyed the lights when I saw them for the first time in 1991, things can change in 23 years. Would the lights be worth this crazy jaunt? (more…)
A Night in Bethlehem – St. John’s UMC Atlanta
A family tradition is to take a walk through Bethlehem sponsored by St. John United Methodist Church in Atlanta. It’s usually held on the first weekend of December and this year didn’t disappoint. Centurions at the city gates yelled out, “Sign the Census. Sign the Census.”
After signing the scrolls on the table lit only by candlelight, we entered the city. It was bustling with music, drumbeats and people all over the place. In one corner was a woman selling bread. Another market vendor sold bright jewelry but gave beautiful precious stones to the children. Soldiers urged people along to pay their taxes. A group of children were getting their Hebrew lessons. One woman came up and asked us if we had seen the bright star in the sky. (more…)