“Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man’s hat.”
– English rhyme as sung by Bing Crosby
What does that have to do with celebrating the most peaceful time of the year in Mexico, you ask? Well, actually nothing at all, its just that I wanted to take some time to pause and think about those less fortunate as we all hustle and bustle to tick off the long list of Christmas presents we have to buy.
When I first came to Mexico, Christmas was not given quite the same “commercial” importance as today. The shops were not chock-full of possible gifts to buy, there were no tree-shaped towers of candies and goodies to eat.
Lisa says that 16 years ago when she first came, she was most impressed with the answer her maid gave her about how her family would spend Christmas. “We will have a family dinner on the 24th, maybe we will give a small gift to the kids, but probably not. Our gift is the meal, the time with each other and remembering why we celebrate.”
Since then, things have been clipping along with the Mexican economy and there is now a bigger emerging middle class, which barely existed a decade and a half ago. Times have changed…
Far be it for me to complain about this, I am most grateful. The economy has been most kind to me and Punta Mita Rentals. I am just suggesting that if any of our clients would like to bring “presents” for kids with them when they come down, we will donate them to needy children in the area. An alternative might be to bring school supplies – we will make sure they are given to the Punta Mita Foundation to distribute as they see fit.
As the old adage goes, “The real gift is in the giving.”
We all love the Punta Mita area at this time of the year, the energy is palpable, restaurants, shops and activities providers are all bustling and we can see the happy faces of colleagues who have spent a fairly lean, quiet season. Prosperity is good, business is good…..and we are busy!
Our business this year has doubled compared with the same time period last year and we are delighted to say that we are welcoming back many return clients.
Of course, we love Punta Mita all year round but there are so many fun reasons why it’s even better in December! For those who have not yet got a full agenda, we have put together our own calendar of events incorporating everything happening around town.
We are sure you’ll have more than enough to do… in fact, you may need to book again quickly so you can come back in January or February to recover!
As well as the featured events please do not forget we have the unflappable concierge guide with all kinds of fun experiences to make your trip even more memorable. Please contact them at (info@puntamita-rentals.com)
You may have noticed, if you are a regular reader, that we are not featuring an alcoholic beverage this month. No, I have not decided to get a head start on the New Year’s resolutions and go teetotaler – but we all decided that enough was enough and we would give our wonderful photographer Kemi Vernon, some breathing time. We will embark on a new feature next year. Bet you can’t wait!
Wishing “Very Happy Holidays” to one and all!
— Miguel C
Bon vivant, gastronome and all-around great guy – Miguel Neves de Carvalho brings you the best of what Punta Mita and the surrounding area have to offer. His passions include polo, horse riding, rugby, cigars and most recently … golf.
Miguel lives in Punta Mita with his youngest son, his fiancée, Lisa, and his two dogs “Tanqueray” and “Tonica”.
He started Punta Mita-Rentals in 2012.
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Photography by Kemi Vernon. See more of her work at www.kemivernonphotography.com