A sticker on passports marked the start of “Holidays Around the World: Mexico.”
The Camp Villages event on Tuesday at La Hacienda Recreation brought about 11 families to participate in the event where residents learned how the holidays are celebrated in Mexico.
The Villages Recreation and Parks Department program offers Christmas-themed activities for residents and their families to do together. From arts and crafts to movie nights, golf, scavenger hunts and learning about cultures around the world, the events provide fun and games for those of all ages.
Luis Negrón Figueroa, recreation area supervisor of El Santiago and Tierra Del Sol Recreation, said the goal of the Camp Villages: Around The World events is to teach families by experiencing how different cultures around the world hold holiday traditions.
“There is a lot of learning coming from these events,” he said. “Each event has the country’s flag and crafts, but the difference depends on the culture.”
While playing American and Mexican Christmas music, like “Feliz Navidad,” guests arrived and waited for instructions for the first activity.
The first task was blending Mexican traditions with American holiday traditions like making Christmas ornaments. During this event, they created a colorful craft called “God’s Eye.”
Needing only two Popsicle sticks, colorful yarn and a dot of glue, children were able to do the craft with their grandparents.
Along with explaining the steps of how to make it, Negrón Figueroa explained how to say “God’s Eye” in Spanish — “Ojo de Dios.”
Mary Cowan, of the Village of Palo Alto, said she didn’t know what to expect during the event, but was excited to spend time with her granddaughters Ruby and Amelia Cowan, visiting from Michigan.“This is our second Camp Villages activity, and yesterday Ruby lost her first tooth,” Mary said. “We’ve been swimming, and they were riding on their scooters. We’ve been very busy.”For Julia and Charlie Millard, making the “God’s Eye” Christmas ornament was simple and easy.
“It’s so fun,” Julia said.
The two, who are from Virginia, have spent several days visiting their grandparents Ann and Michael Lindberg, of the Village of Monarch Grove.“They can speak Spanish because they’ve done the Spanish immersion club,” Ann said. “When we saw this activity was available, it seemed like a no brainier. I said ‘we have to sign them up.’”
As an apparent pro at crafting, Charlie was finished before most of the others.
He wore a red and white stripped shirt and said he chose to start the center of his ornament with red because he really likes the color.
“I also have another red so I wanted to start with red and end with red,” he said.
The Lindbergs, who are renting a home in The Villages, are enjoying the holidays with their grandchildren.
To tie up the event, the kids were challenged to see who could break open a confetti-filled pinata. During each attempt, they were given two swings.
Before they started, they learned the pinata song in both Spanish and English.
Benjamin Chae, who was visiting from Los Angeles, stole the spotlight from Negrón Figueroa and other Recreation and Parks Department staff as they tried to teach everyone how to sing the pinata song in Spanish. He also led the group in singing “Feliz Navidad” without background music.
“I felt a little nervous, but I also like being in the spotlight,” Chae said.
Chae shared one of the main things he is looking forward to doing this holiday season is spending time in Florida with his grandparents.
Ricky Chae, of the Village of St. James, said watching his grandson sing Spanish and hit the pinata during the event were moments that made him very proud.
“I was very proud,” Ricky said as he explained that hitting a pinata is a family tradition that Benjamin has grown up doing.
For more information about Camp Villages, visit to districtgov.org/programs/camp-villages.
