The Day After Christmas

[Zochitl]

 

         I was invited to join this family on a trip to the beach one year the day after Christmas.

 Every year, at the beginning of the year, this very unusual family has made a pact to go camping on that special day since their father used to take them all from the time they were children.  Their father and mother, who are now in their 80's, began this tradition with their nine daughters and five sons twenty years ago. As the daughters and sons grew up and got married, the tradition continued every 26th day of December until at the present time their numbers have grown to a total of 60 people in the family. They are such a very united family that they never wanted to break the tradition.

      During the year, they get together and have a meeting between all the couples and agree on who will be in charge of the various tasks like, the camping gear that they must take. Starting with the entire kitchen supplies, the tables and chairs for the entire group or the electrical equipment or who will be in charge of the "garbage detail" or who will take the fishing equipment. They all sit down together one evening to discuss everything that has to be done for the trip.

It also includes the boats that they plan to take and how they will be positioned in the caravan of cars. The only thing that they don't have to agree on is that each family will take whatever refreshments they like and their own plates and utensils.  They will also discussed how they will set up the tents since this is a united effort of every person in the group except of course, the grandparents and the smallest children, who happen to be two great-great grandchildren. 

     Once they have arrived at a total agreement, they begin to gather everything for their trip during the year. They have a whole year to plan and get ready for the day when they will start for the beach grounds as they accomplish with fervor all the tasks that they have been assigned.  You can see the excitement in their faces as they wait the final day.

     Finally, the day comes and the caravan is ready to take off with their entire equipment ready and in working order. Everyone from the father and mother who are on their 60th wedding anniversary to the last two great grandchildren who are 2 and 3 years old, set off for the 3 hour drive to their special place, that is about 112 miles from their city to the ocean.

I rode with the grandparents, which was the first of the 10 cars on the   Caravan. The oldest son took the responsibility of driving the lead car.  It was so enjoyable to see the countryside as we drove thru the hills on this twisted winding road that went around the mountain.  Everything was so green in this part of the country and so enjoyable looking at the different places that we were going by.   The joyful singing of the young adults in the Van, made the three hour trip go by very fast. 

      Arriving at their favorite spot, they turn into a spacious lot that a friend of theirs, for a small fee,  allowed them to park all their cars and boats every year and  then begin to unpack their belongings.

      The men and their older sons begin to set up the tents. The women of the group start setting up the kitchen, which will be the main tent where they will all gather to eat. Chairs and tables are set in place next.  Then the one in charge of connecting the gas stoves, water supply, and garbage detail gets into action making sure that everything is in working order while some of the women of the group get their pots and pans and everything necessary for cooking,  placing them in the cabinets that the men have set up for them.

      In the meantime, the rest of the women are arranging the sleeping quarters and making the beds in each tent. Each family brought their own tent. The ones in charge of the bathroom details get busy to build the showers for bathing and the toilets which they have carefully constructed placing the organic materials necessary for avoiding septic conditions.

The "garbage detail" makes sure that all the garbage is gathered daily and taken to the nearby village garbage dump. After so many years of practice, they are experts in performing their duties. Everything is done with such precision. I kept admiring them how quickly these things were accomplished.

      Now the second phase begins. This consists of drawing straws to find out what day which couple and their children will be assigned to the cooking and serving, and who will go to the market and buy the provisions for the day. Each cluster family is responsible to wash their dishes and pots and pans and put them away except that they all take turns serving their parents and washing their dishes and utensils.  It is so amazing to see this family be so united and cooperate together so well.

      After the main chores are done, the fun begins. Some of the men take their boats and go fishing for the day bringing back a good supply for the cook, while others go water skiing with their wives, and the children enjoy the pleasures of swimming or running on the sand playing the games that they have brought, like volley ball, soccer, and the likes while the younger set build their castles in the wet sand under the watchful eyes of some of the parents.

The older couple just enjoy sitting in their lawn chairs watching every one of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren enjoy themselves. They enjoy going for their morning walk; or sit to read a good book and later, after their lunch they retire for their afternoon siesta.

     After all, being together for 60 years and raising 14 wonderful children they are now enjoying the fruits of their labor. Every evening around nine, everyone gathers to pray together and then lights out and any noise is forbidden after midnight.

    After two wonderful weeks have gone by, they pick up everything from the beach and they start for home being so content that they had a good relaxing and enjoyable time together.   Once everything gets picked up, there isn't a sign that 60 people were in that spot because everything looks like no one had been there.  

I was honored to have been invited to this wonderful family and been number 61 on the group and treated with so much warmth.

      It's so wonderful to be a part of  a family like this with so much union and love amongst themselves. With the examples they see from their grandparents and parents, there is no doubt that the young generation will follow this tradition forever.

[Zochitl]

Luvy-that also must have been a wonderful experience for you I'm sure.   Memories like that are really never forgotten.  He was my Optometrist and I was so honored to know his whole family and gotten to make the trip with them.  Unfortunately now both the parents have passed on but the tradition I've heard still continues with the children.