Mexicans call the holiday season "el maraton" or the marathon because they have 4 large holidays in one month: Dia del Virgen del Guadalupe Dec. 12, Navidad Dec. 24 & 25, Ano Nuevo Dec. 31 & Jan 1, and Dia de los Reyes Magos Jan. 6 Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (the patron Saint of Mexico), Christmas, New Year, and 3 Kings Day. So, this week, I'll explain some of the holiday traditions that Mexicans have. Unfortunately, we won't be here for much of the holidays bc we go home but we've seen and heard about some of the traditions.
Remember the Jerry Lewis Telethon that used to be on TV labor day weekend? Mexicans do a similar thing the first weekend in December. There are a lot of children in Mexico who suffer from birth trauma and disabilities, more so than in the U.S. The teleton is on TV, but people donate in person to volunteers throughout the country on street corners and donation receptacles in small businesses.
Mexicans also have specific rules about dispensas or holiday bonuses. Companies are required by law to provide a holiday Christmas bonus equal to one month of the employee's salary. Official employees are also required to be paid for some of their holiday vacation time. Because half of Mexican workers are "under the table" these rules can't be enforced, but they are still normally followed. For example, we will pay our housekeeper a month salary bonus, plus 3 weeks of paid vacation and maybe also buy her a small gift. If we don't, the government doesn't care, but she may not come back in January, and we'll get a reputation for being stingy.
Dave doesn't qualify for dispensas, bc of his unique international employment status, and my school buys us a plane ticket to go home for Christmas as a "gift". (We have to go back at Christmas in order to keep our tourist visa legal)
Tomorrow - Dia del Virgin de guadalupe!
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1 comment:
Kelly, actually they still have the Jerry Lewis telethon. I answered phones this year for the event and it was a lot of fun!
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