As the holidays descend upon us, with shoppers forming lines at insane twilight hours to get into their favorite retail stores and buy, with Santa Claus is Coming to Town playing in malls before Thanksgiving even, and lists being checked and rechecked – I’d like to share this image by a graffiti artist in Valparaiso, Chile. It translates to “Rushing Kills” and makes me smile, because somedays in South America you feel like no one has to be anywhere. If you give your waiter any sort of look after waiting for your bill for forty-five minutes, he’s really the one thinking you’re crazy!
But I think there’s something to take away from the Latino lifestyle for us North Americans – especially around the holidays. Maybe it’s not so important that all the presents are wrapped in matching paper. Or that the cookies are iced in the latest Martha Stewart colors. Maybe it’s the act of giving that’s really the important part, or the laughter that’s caused when the cookies turn out burnt and shapeless (I may or may not be talking about my own cookies).
I say let’s fill the month of December with moments worth remembering. Moments of enjoying the simple things, time with friends and family, moments of genuine holiday cheer…
Un Beso, Tara
