One of the popular offerings at the Wednesday market we visited in Zapopan, a town outside Guadalajara, was the baby Jesus. Swaddled in plastic, he comes in many convenient sizes, to fit any nacimiento, or nativity scene.

Today, meanwhile, is the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe...

...the Patrona of Mexico, the Queen of the Americas also begins on December 3 and culminates on her special day, December 12, when all Mexico pauses to celebrate the mother of God as she appeared on Tepeyac, the prehispanic site of the temple to Tontanslin , one of the most influential Aztec goddesses, asking that a temple be built to her on that site, as the Mother of Mexico.

The whole text is here -- you have to scroll a bit to find it.

Meanwhile, it's cold and quiet and raining steadily here in Malibu where, seeing as this is winter weather, we're off to buy our living Christmas tree.