By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS It’s never too early to start your holiday shopping, and since there seems to be no sign of the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic easing up soon, buying your gifts now — before the stores get crowded and the weather gets colder — is a great way to protect yourself from infection and avoid the Christmas rush. For many
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS The year 2020 is finally getting ready to wrap up, and none too soon for most of us, what with the covid-19 pandemic, the global economic turndown and — lest we forget — the now-almost universal practice of WFH (work from home). Yes, we are all going to be celebrating the end of 2020 come Dec. 31,
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS While in Northern European Christian cultures, it is the the eve or day of Christ’s birth (Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, respectively) that is celebrated with special meals and an exchange of presents, here in Mexico, it is the Epiphany, or the commemoration of the anniversary of arrival of the Magi at Bethlehem, that is most associated
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS Santa Claus may be back in the North Pole catching up on lost sleep and giving his reindeer and elves a well-deserved winter vacation, but here in Mexico the Christmas season isn’t over yet. Jan. 6 – that celebrated Twelfth Day of Christmas – officially marks the Epiphany, the day when Christ was visited by the Magi,
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS Tlalpujahua, a little mountain town on the northeast end of the Mexican state of Michoacán, just two and a half hours outside Mexico City, didn’t start off to be a Christmas village. In fact, when it was first founded by Spanish settlers back in 1560, it was primarily a mining town, home to the Dos Estrellas mine,
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By RICH GRANT It is forever Christmas at McKonkey’s Ferry Inn. The dining room in this lovely tavern, located on the banks of the Delaware River, 42 miles upstream from Philadelphia, is always decorated as it would have been on Christmas night, 1776, when George Washington had dinner here. As Washington dined, 2,400 of his men assembled outside along the
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By THE PULSE NEWS MEXICO STAFF It’s an ideal setting for a Christmas pageant: the little colonial town of Tepotzotlán, just an hour northwest of Mexico City. Sometimes referred to as the capital of the uniquely Mexican Churrigueresque style of architecture, the 17th and early 18th century buildings of Tepotzotlán, with their gilded, flourished, curlicued and cherub-topped buildings, indeed offer
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS If you’re new to Mexico, you might be surprised when, starting on around mid-December, your neighbors suddenly begin banging on your door late at night demanding refuge and hot punch. Those already familiar with Mexican Christmas traditions will recognize this unusual ritual as the official start of the holiday season. La Posada – literally, the
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By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS The holiday season is in full swing, and trying to find the right gift for everyone on your list (including yourself) can be stressful. Here are a few items that will definitely make the A list of anyone’s Christmas roster, no matter who the recipient is. Youth in a Bottle The Swedish direct-sales cosmetic and skincare company
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By THE PULSE NEWS MEXICO STAFF Blush-red poinsettias have long been regarded around the world as the perfect companion to seasonal traditions and classic Christmas decorations. Lesser known is the leafy, long-stemmed flowers’ far-flung history. Called nochebuenas in Spanish (literally “holy night,” referring to Christmas Eve), the poinsettia has traveled across oceans and changed varieties more than 70 times within
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