Celebrate the Season in Costa Rica
(December 1st, 2008)

A season of celebration awaits you in Costa Rica. November and December welcome the end of the rainy season and the beginning of long perfect days and nights for the exploration of our truly unique country. Please read about our festivals and celebrations as it our sincere wish that you learn enough about Costa Rica to visit in the near future. When and if you do decide to experience "pura vida", contact us to make sure your stay is a memorable one.

Fiesta de los Diablitos
A Unique Cultural Aspect of the Boruca Tribe

Athree day annual festival, held December 31 through January 2 by the Boruca indian tribe in Costa Rica. The male participants of the tribe perform a ritual dance re-enacting the Spanish conquest wearing elaborate costumes. The most important part of the costumes are the masks. With the mask, each member is empowered to fight and dispel the evil of the Spanish intruders who are represented by a mock bull. The festival masks use demon features which the indigenous people adopted from the Spanish Catholics. The symbolic victory over the Spanish celebrates the identity and existence of the Borucan people against past enemies, as well as current threats to their community and way of life. As the modern world encroaches, indigenous people struggle to find a balance that retains their spirituality and harmony with nature.

"Away in a Manger"
Recognized around the world

A universal symbol of the Christmas tradition is "el portal", the portrayal of the manger scene with Mary, Joseph, animals, the three Magic Kings, and all the shepherds and their sheep. Construction of each family's portal is a well-planned event, usually culminating with inviting friends and family over to show off the decorations. Portals are filled with crafted wood, decorative papers of different colors, plant mosses, ramps to create different levels, multi-colored sawdust, glitter, and lighting. On December 24th at midnight, not before, Baby Jesus is born and is placed in the portal where he stays until the three Magic Kings come to see him on January 6th. On the 25th, Christmas Day, the Baby Jesus brings gifts for the children of the household rather than Sanat Claus.

Horses Strut Their Stuff

One of the highlights of the Christmas Season features our hooved friends shown here practicing for the "Tope Nacional". A Tope is a horse parade, a typic al tradition in all local fiestas. The San Jose Tope is the most famous and largest in Costa Rica. It is widely known as the biggest people-watching event of the year. The tradition began in colonial times as a horse race to commence the Fiestas de San Juan. It was customary for everyone to come out to see who the best jockeys and the fastest horses were. Costa Rica is a country with a great farming and agricultural tradition. Horses have a very important place in history since most families that colonized the country either had farms or raised horses. Naturally, like everything else in Costa Rica that was established by the Spaniards, this tradition has evolved into something uniquely Costa Rican. It has become the most important horse show of the country, what we know today as El Tope.

If you would like to buy/invest in a beach property"click" the group photo above for great listings and values!

November heralds the end of the "Rainy Season" and ushers in the perfect climate for a beach getaway and the relaxing atmosphere of sun, surf, rainforests, and simply enjoying life! Our firm is at your disposal, offering you value in both property and the rich cultural heritage of Costa Rica!

If you and your friends or family just want to "get away" for awhile, "click" the group photo below for group rental listings. From condos to villas we have it all!

We hope you have enjoyed this newsletter, please contact us with any questions or property needs in Costa Rica. Our recently expanded firm offers unparalleled service through

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Sincerely
Arturo Guzman
Propertiesincostarica.com