![]() In the second year, he can start wearing coloured clothing and then in the third year, he can be dressed like royalty with crowns, thrones and other accessories. In the first year of having the Baby Jesus figurine, he is dressed all in white. ![]() Our hotel filled up with a group of 40 people yesterday who have arrive in the city for this occasion and there windowed showcases in stores full of baby dolls, dresses and accessories. While this tradition is slowly dying out in many cities in Mexico, it still seems to be very much alive in Oaxaca. ![]() Here in Mexico, this event is vividly reenacted every year as Baby Jesus is placed into nativity scenes on December 24 and then taken to the cathedral on February 2nd. February 2nd, 40 days after December 24, would have been the day that Mary took Jesus to the temple to be presented and blessed. The traditions recalls how it was customary during the times of Mary, Joseph and Jesus for women to be sequestered in their homes with their newborn child for 40 days after birth. On February 2nd, people dress up their Baby Jesus figures, buying new outfits that are sometimes more costly than the clothes they buy for their children, and then bring them to the church to have him blessed. These dolls are Ninos Jesus, Baby Jesus, that families have in their home altar. I found out that today is Dia de la Candelaria, or Candlemas in English. In the land where machismo is prized, there has to be a story when you see a strong, stoic looking teenager carrying around a baby sized doll in a fancy pink robe walking down the street. Sometimes I did a double take and realize that the baby I thought this mother was carrying was actually a doll. They are all elaborately dressed in robes with satiny fabrics, often heavily embroidered with gold or silver trim. Some sit on wooden chairs while others are bundled up in blankets and cradled as people carry them through the street. Some are real baby sized and others are miniature babies, small as the size of a palm. Walking down the streets of centro Oaxaca today, many people are carrying baby dolls. Inside the churches, people holding up lit candles in one hand while cradling elaborately dressed dolls in the other. This morning on Feb 2, the fireworks have been excitedly firing into the skies above Oaxaca city all day and the church bells enthusiastically ringing, calling their faithful to mass in 16-17th century cathedrals.
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