From late November until mid-January, many families display their Christmas nativity scenes, also known as nacimientos. Here are some miniature nativity scenes that are too adorable to handle. ?
Check out this tiny nacimiento that fits inside a jar.
There is truly no better place to grow up Caribbean in the U.S. than Miami. You have 24/7 access to fresh croquetas, the street signs in Hialeah are in Spanish and that always the feeling of belonging.
The only white Christmas you’ll find in Florida is on the white sand beaches. The tropical climate does not dampen the Christmas spirit at all. In fact, it is just as magical to see the palm trees covered in Christmas lights.
Miamian’s love to decorate for the holidays like nobody else.
CREDIT: @aurangzebniazi / Twitter
Opinion: it’s because there’s no other way to tell what season it is outside. It looks the same year-round with the same humidity. Christmas lights are how you know it’s supposed to be winter.
Every shopping plaza is legally required to string lights around the palm trees.
CREDIT: @aurangzebniazi / Twitter
Okay, it’s not a law, but it might as well be. A naked palm tree is a neglected palm tree at Christmastime.
Kids are taught that these are Santa’s helpers:
CREDIT: @angeljr1973 / Instagram
When we start seeing them out there with their electrical sleigh, we get very emotional. They’re helping prepare for Santa’s return.
Everyone makes a point to post photos at the beach.
CREDIT: @visitmiamiflorida / Instagram
Why? Just because we can. It just fells extra good to know that most of the country is frozen and you’re living your best beach life.
You’ll probably get a Christmas card from a half-naked family by their pool at some point.
CREDIT: @allaboutyou_photography / Instagram
There is nothing more Miami then sending poolside or beachside Christmas cards to all of your friends and family. Sure, they are living in freezing weather but you have a tropical oasis all year.
Or on the beach.
CREDIT: @femmefatale.xo / Instagram
Ayyy, go Heat. Miami does have all the heat anyone could need. We get to be outside, in the sun, soaking up Vitamin D and releasing endorphins all over the place. We’re happy sand people.
We still have our snow activities, though, okay?
CREDIT: @squalodivers / Twitter
Por favor. Don’t pity us for not having the joy of snowmen building and snow angels. That’s so pedestrian, we can do it all year long.
We won’t get too picky about what trees we adorn.
CREDIT: @apokemiami / Instagram
Palm trees are the tree of choice. Plus, those evergreens cost a lot more in the tropics than they do at their home base. We’re just being sustainable over here.
We don’t take down decorations until January 6th.
CREDIT: @MiamiTrees / Twitter
So it feels like tropical Christmas a solid extra two weeks longer than the rest of America. This is an elephant at the Miami Zoo playing with a tree. Notice how the photo feels hot and humid.
No need to go to a bar to warm up from the cold.
CREDIT: @dreamtoyflowers / Instagram
You can enjoy your frosty daiquiri at the beach. Maybe bring a sweater just in case it drops below 70.
It’s too warm for an ugly Christmas sweater party, but we’ll throw a good ugly tank party.
CREDIT: @ElizabethLazoPD / Twitter
That is a palm tree on her shirt instead of an evergreen. We’re happy with our tree of choice.
We’ll still go big on the fake trees.
CREDIT: @miami_feelings / Twitter
In all the places you’d imagine–The Grove, Bayside, Bal Harbour, Aventura, Miracle Mile–you get the picture. The trees can rarely get bigger than our year-long regal palm trees, but they try.
People go ham decorating the neighborhood.
CREDIT: @Mandimcca / Twitter
Probably because it’s not physically painful to be outside and decorate, so we can just go at it all day long.
The city views are everything.
CREDIT: @all_the_stuff_i_care_about / Instagram
Downtown Miami’s skyline is lit up green, red, blue and white, and the holiday cheer is contagious.
There’s something to decadent about seeing a Christmas tree in front of a warm beach.
CREDIT: @fancyhippie / Instagram
With so much shoreline, millions of Miamians have an ocean view. Including that lucky Frenchie, who is surprisingly not wearing reindeer antlers. Que pena.
The photo ops are abundant in Miami.
CREDIT: @jaydream26 / Instagram
From Santa’s Cabana on Lincoln Road to visits with tan Santa and the Hard Rock Winterfest boat parade, you can expect your Instagram feed to have a Christmas glow up.
Then, there’s the one and only Santa’s Enchanted Forest.
CREDIT: @florida_smart / Instagram
As a kid, it was this magical place full of lights, games and fair rides. As adults, it’s a magical place full of lights, elotes and funnel cake. Either way, you leave happy.
No child gets out of Enchanted without 200+ forced photos by their mami.
CREDIT: @sharealittlefun / Twitter
Say something and prepare to be asked, “Y que? You’re naughty now? You know what that means.” I feel so hard for the kids of this generation since the finite film cameras are no more.
If you’re visiting Miami, pack your shorts y gafas del sol.
CREDIT: @santasenchanted / Twitter
And a bathing suit. Your holiday pics this year are going to be sans-parka and all tan.
In Miami, you can spend the day a la playa and the night inside an Enchanted Forest.
CREDIT: @santasenchanted / Twitter
Visit any one of the 24 shopping malls and plazas in the city for just as many opportunities to watch lighting ceremonies, Christmas lit boat parades, the NightGarden Magical Light Spectacular at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens and so much more. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
The holidays either bring out the worst in people or the very best. There’s the stress of finding the perfect gifts, planning and hosting parties, and the idea of traveling to visit family during the craziest time to travel.
If you keep in mind, however, that the holiday season is meant to be with loved ones and celebrate all of your blessings, then it will put everything in perspective. Besides, holiday stress can easily be fixed with some fine tequila.
If you’re hosting any holiday event this season and you’d like to spruce it up by doing away with the basic Christmas or New Year’s Eve decoration, you can easily glam it up in a Latino-themed style. Why Latino-themed? Because velas, piñatas, and Frida instantly make people happy.
Here are some ideas for your holiday table that will make your guests ooh and ahh, no doubt.
Use any Latin-brand can as a vase.
CREDIT: Pinterest
We already recycle cans and jars thanks to our abuelas teaching us to. Use those cans and create a unique table setting by adding an eclectic array of your favorite canned Latin goods and using them as vases. The table will instantly have a pop of color and your guests might feel some nostalgia seeing the various cans from their childhoods.
Papel picado as mistletoe.
CREDIT: Love and Cupcakes
Convert any typical holiday decor, like mistletoe, with colorful papel picado. You can hang them around, and also place them bunched together at the center of each table. It’s a colorful and unexpected way to change things up with just a little bit of effort.
Red hot chili wreaths and/or candle holders.
CREDIT: Wind and Weather
If you’re not interested in buying dozens upon dozens of red chili peppers to decorate, you can buy fake ones pretty easily. These might look like a little too much but everyone will remember the amazing way you used chili peppers for your holiday decor.
Ribbons and flowers in the colors of your flag.
CREDIT: Pinterest
Being Mexican makes this one super easy since the color scheme is the same but you can always add some ribbons to your poinsettias. Give your guests and familia a little something special with the colors of your family’s flag all over the place.
A sarape table cloth.
CREDIT: Pinterest
By replacing a random tablecloth with a sarape, you can quickly transform the vibe from a boring holiday party to a poppin’ fiesta. Simple. Cheap. Cultural.
Extra sarape material? Use it as stocking name cards.
CREDIT: Instagram
Cut a stocking pattern on cardboard or poster board and wrapping it with sarape material. Then write people’s names on the white portion, and bam! Instant name cards.
Create festive cornhusks for coasters, candle holders and/or wreaths.
CREDIT: Instagram
Click here for a YouTube tutorial that shows how to make these cute cornhusk decorations. Just remember to wrap your color ribbon as well. There is something so special about seeing handmade decorations.
Nacimiento centerpieces are guaranteed to please.
CREDIT: Instagram
This particular centerpiece may seem a little complicated but it’s just an example of how to craft any sort of arrangement. This nacimiento can easily be recreated at your local Color Me Mine. You can also get an inexpensive basket and put your nativity scene inside and place them as centerpieces, this way people can take them home!
Concha coasters or ornaments.
CREDIT: Instagram
These conchas, made out of felt (which you can get at your local craft store), can be created to use as coasters! For an extra flair use glitter to make them more festive.
A bottle of tequila, a couple of poinsettias, and a sarape runner.
CREDIT: Instagram
This table setting looks stunning and can be easily replicated. Aside from the bottle of tequila, which you’ll need anyway, and the poinsettias, you can add your favorite Latin candy, candles, and a Latin-themed runner.
La Virgen de Guadalupe velas and mini-candles.
CREDIT: Instagram
The table setting above may look like it’s ready to celebrate Day of the Dead, but it can certainly work for the holidays. All you have to do is replace the orange flowers, with red roses, or poinsettias. Then adorn the center of the table with Virgen de Guadalupe velas that you can get at the grocery store or just click here.
