Neat coverage of Hispanic culture in The Seattle Times!

See recent article on Las Posadas, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and other traditions:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19971225&slug=2579956

and this Quinceañera story, on yesterday's front page!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008565989_mexico28m.html

Las Posadas - any comments?

OK so I missed El Rey's Posadas event yesterday (thanks, snow) so if anyone reading attended, please comment on the event! Was it fun? Worthwhile? Specific comments are appreciated! Just post your comment here, or if you're feeling shy, you can email me directly at lauri@conexion-marketing.com.

Hope everyone stayed safe and warm this chilly weekend. Welcome back to the workweek!

Seattle Central steps it up / El Rey Posadas event

What a terrific opportunity - now students can complete their GED in Spanish if they so choose, thanks to a new program at Seattle Central Community College!

Students enrolled in the GED classes will be required to enroll in ESL classes as well. English classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays (or in the mornings), and GED classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All classes run from 6:00p.m. – 8:20p.m. Classes cost $25 for the quarter (three months). For more information, visit the Basic & Transitional Studies office in Room 3122 or call us at 206-587-4180.

Help Seattle Central spread the word about this opportunity for more students to earn their GED and enjoy greater potential--for themselves, their careers, their families!

This Sunday 12-4 Seattle Central will be present at the Las Posadas event in White Center at Evolución (16th & Roxbury). Talk to them about this possibility! And enjoy our first annual El Rey Las Posadas--toys and games for all ages, live music, free food--what more could you want?

Cool Celebration: Las Posadas

DID YOU KNOW about Las Posadas?

It's a nine-day celebration, beginning December 16 and ending December 24. It symbolizes the troubles Mary and Joseph endured trying to find a place to stay when traveling to Bethlehem. I believe its origins are in Puerto Rico, but you can correct me if it's practiced elsewhere.

During this event, children and adults (the pilgrims) go from house to house singing a traditional song and requesting lodging (posada). In each house, the owner responds with refusal (also in song), until they reach the designated site for the party, where the owner welcomes them.

Pilgrims carry small lit candles, the head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lamp shade, or farolito. Pilgrims pray and sing traditional Christmas songs, a party for adults and children follows, including the traditional piñata.

Well, our local El Rey radio station is celebration Las Posadas this year--a first, this Sunday! If you want info on the event, please email me at lauri@conexion-marketing.com.

Our friends from Seattle Central Community College are helping sponsor the event. If anyone else is involved, feel free to comment here or shoot me an email--I'd love to hear all about it!