Two December celebrations

“The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico. She is depicted with brown skin, an angel and moon at her feet and rays of sunlight that encircle her. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to an indigenous man named Juan Diego on Dec. 9, 1531.

“Las posadas is a novenario (nine days of religious observance) celebrated chiefly in Mexico and by Mexican-Americans in the United States, beginning December 16 and ending December.

“A procession (French procession via Middle English, derived from Latin, procession, from procedure, to go forth, advance, proceed) is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. A funeral procession, illustrated in a manuscript of the Hours of the Virgin. Fifteenth century.”

What we do in my family of the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe is going to church to sing “Las Mañanitas,” after we go to Las posadas in which leads us to go to a procession. We always do this every year.

This year we went to church at Saint Thomas The Catholic Apostle Church. I am one of the princesses who represents the church; for that reason is because every year the church chooses three girls to be elected, one will be queen and the other two will be the princesses. Therefore, I was one of the princesses and the three of us went to the procession.

We had a great time celebrating the day of The Virgin of Guadalupe. Our priest from, Father Mario Torres, would say “Who lives, Christ? In his name, glory in His village, victory.” They always say that on special events.

On Dec. 13, 2016 was my sister’s 13th birthday. I admire her so much because of her hard work in school .

In the morning we wake up and sing to her in the morning “Las Mañanitas,” also known as the morning song.

“Las Mañanitas is a traditional Mexican birthday song sung in Mexico and other Latin American countries at birthday parties, usually early in the morning to awaken the birthday person. It’s also sung before eating cake, and especially as part of the custom of serenading women.”

My sister was so happy when we sang the song to her.