by Lucas, age 9 from El Paso, asks Nino Jesus about the religious meaning behind many Latin American Christmas traditions.
A Letter to Nino Jesus from Lucas in El Paso, Texas
Dear Nino Jesus, my name is Lucas and I am nine years old. I live in El Paso, Texas, and my abuela sets up a nativity scene every year, so I have questions for you:
- Are you the baby Jesus himself, bringing presents to children?
- Do children leave out treats for you?
- Do you appear as a little baby, or do you look older?
- Do you bring gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning?
- Do you bring presents to all children, or only the good ones?
- Do you come down the chimney like Santa?
- Do you have helpers like angels?
- Do you have reindeer, or do you travel in a different way?
- Do you only visit Latin American countries?
- Do you work together with Papa Noel to deliver gifts?
- Geography: Many Latin American countries celebrating Nino Jesus share land near the Amazon Rainforest. What river runs through it?
- Social Studies: Why do many Latin American Christmas traditions include a nativity scene, called a nacimiento or pesebre, as the center of the holiday?
Con carino, Lucas
Nino Jesus Writes Back
Are you the baby Jesus himself, bringing presents to children?
In stories, yes, Lucas, I represent baby Jesus himself, bringing gifts as a symbol of his birth rather than an old man doing the delivering.
Do children leave out treats for you?
Yes, families sometimes leave out small treats near the nativity scene, especially near where a figure of baby Jesus is placed.
Do you appear as a little baby, or do you look older?
I am usually pictured as a little baby, tiny and gentle, rather than an older, jollier gift giver.
Do you bring gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning?
Christmas Eve, right around midnight, after families return from church services celebrating my birth.
Do you bring presents to all children, or only the good ones?
I try to bring gifts to every child, since generosity and love were always meant to be for everyone.
Do you come down the chimney like Santa?
Not really, no chimney climbing for me. My gifts are simply thought to appear near the nativity scene or under the tree through quiet Christmas magic.
Do you have helpers like angels?
I am sometimes pictured with angels nearby, gentle helpers who share in spreading the joy of the season.
Do you have reindeer, or do you travel in a different way?
No reindeer for me. I am thought to travel through quiet, gentle magic rather than any particular vehicle.
Do you only visit Latin American countries?
Mostly Latin American countries, especially Mexico, Colombia, and parts of Central America, where my story is closely tied to the religious meaning of Christmas.
Do you work together with Papa Noel to deliver gifts?
In some households, yes, we are imagined working together, with Papa Noel handling more of the toy delivery while I represent the deeper religious meaning of the holiday.
Geography: Many Latin American countries celebrating Nino Jesus share land near the Amazon Rainforest. What river runs through it?
Many countries that celebrate my story share land near the Amazon Rainforest, the largest rainforest on Earth, and the mighty Amazon River that winds through it, one of the longest rivers in the world.
Social Studies: Why do many Latin American Christmas traditions include a nativity scene, called a nacimiento or pesebre, as the center of the holiday?
A nacimiento, or pesebre, is a nativity scene showing the story of my birth, and it sits at the heart of many Latin American Christmas celebrations. Families often build elaborate scenes at home or in town squares, since the nativity captures the religious meaning of Christmas that my whole story is meant to represent.
