Posted by
Corthell on Sunday, December 20, 2009 5:06:44 PM
''I wish all the readers, wherever they may find themselves, a hearty Merry Christmas, or as they say in Mexico – ¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!''
The Mexican celebration of Christmas (Navidad) is a joyous season and an important part of the national identity. No matter what is going on in Mexico – and there are plenty of problems – the season of Navidad never fails to provide joy and encouragement through family togetherness, the observance of traditions and the festive nature of the season itself.
I recall some years back, my wife and I visited Mexico City after Christmas and before Three Kings’ Day on ( January 6th ) and we saw an enormous artificial Christmas tree in the main Zocalo plaza (not to be confused, however, with the new Christmas tree I’m about to describe).
Besides the usual sights to see, visitors to Mexico City this Christmas season have the opportunity to see two great Christmas-related tourist attractions - the world’s largest artificial Christmas tree and a “bionacimiento.”
The Christmas tree was constructed on Reforma Avenue, half a block from the U.S. embassy. It has officially been declared, by no less an authority than the Guinness Book of World Records, as the world’s biggest artificial Christmas tree. Just how big is it? The tree has a height of 110.35 meters (That’s 362 feet for those of us who think in English measures). It’s 35 meters (114 feet) wide. Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard presided over the official lighting ceremony, which was held on the evening of December 5th. Christmas music was perfomed for the ceremony by the Shola Cantorum orchestra and the Mariachi Gama Mil.
The Mexico City tree beat out the previous world’s largest Christmas tree, which was located in Aracaju, Brazil. (Interesting how of late Latin America is dominating the large artificial Christmas tree competition). The Mexican tree surpassed the Brazilian tree’s height by nine and a half inches. http://www.newswithviews.com/Wall/allan125.htm