El Nacimiento : The evening before Thanksgiving, once the family is gathered around the large table for dinner and consumed the best of home-cooked dishes, the hard work starts.
The tables and food items are cleared in order to make room for the boards and power tools before construction begins. It’s not the typical holiday ritual however, one is one that the Hernandez family is doing for nearly 100 years.
An Nacimiento is a Mexican or Hispanic tradition in which a nativity scene that represents Jesus’ birth Jesus Christ is placed at the heart of the home. It is a huge piece of art that takes up my grandmother’s entire living space.
What began as a small table inside the windows of the paternal great-grandmother’s home now occupies two 8 4′ tables and is adorned with handmade mountains as well as The North Pole, a lake city, desert, and of course, the Nativity scene.
It’s an event that is enjoyed by the entire family, from the oldest adult to the youngest children. everyone plays a part. The adults create the frame and then secure the sheets. The kids are the ones to individually secure the bulbs, which are the stars of the sky at night. After the frame is completed then we can begin to building the mountains.
In a circle, we gather paper bags and pack them with newspaper crumples. We then wrap the bags with topsoil and glue. After drying then we can put up northern poles, build an oasis, as well as put in all the animal figurines which have been taken over the years.
The aunt of my mother, Teri Hernandez, builds the city. Every year, the plans vary and are spread across the entire altar, however we have the same staples such as the ice skating rink, the neighborhood, and the Victorian village. The most well-known is the Mariachi group in the middle of town.
El Nacimiento is an annual Christmas tradition that draws everyone together. Each year, we reflect about how the altar changed, or we laugh at the fact that we have to revisit the proper way of setting up the tables every year. Traditions are a vital element of any family, but they can easily be lost.
We’re not sure of how we will continue this holiday however, its significance and the memories we hold will last. Perhaps this year, when we’re all able to enjoy the holiday season together the tradition could be revived.
In the meantime, we hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable festive season!
