CASTRO DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT ON 12/25...TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION TO COME

Well I want all of you to know eight days before Christmas that I still believe that Fidel Castro is currently frozen waiting for the formal announcement from the Cuban Government. In a matter of fact I am going out on a limb right here and predicting that the Cuban government is waiting for December 25th...Yes! Christmas Day to announce his death. Why? Because I sense that it will be a worldwide major story to announce in public that Fidel Castro gave his heart to Jesus as a new born Christian before his death and God decided to take him on this special day.

I say all this because the Cuban Government has never been known to tell the truth to the public. So they must keep the act up and finish their year with the biggest lie of all. Fidel Castro has been frozen just for this special occasion and they cannot let that secret out. The grand finale will be here soon. Are you ready? The Cuban community in Florida will be out on the streets celebrating.

So, finally Christmas 2007 will be a very special one for all Cubans. I expect a free Cuba by then. Finally the Cubans can continue their tratiditional Christmas. What is a traditional Cuban Christmas?

First, on Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) the families will gather together and have a delicious and fantastic feast with abundance of food. Noche Buena means Good Night which is our name for Christmas Eve. The main attraction on this special evening is the roasted seasoned Pig. Served with black beans, white rice or arroz con gri (morro) which is rice and black beans already mixed together. Yuca (a root) marinated with garlic, onions and sour orange, as well as Tostones which are fried plantains. Cuban bread and salad.

The drinks for the special evening are Cuba Libre: Rum & Coke, Mojito: Cuban Rum & Mint Drink, Sidra a Spanish Sparkling Hard Apple Cider. The appetizers are: Carne Fria: Cold Meat Roll and

Croquetas which are Croquettes. The desserts are Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding), Bunuelos, Boniato (white yam) Rum Cake and Turrones (Nougat Candy), and Flan.

Usually on December 23rd, the pig will be killed and cleaned (prefer Female Pig) ...That same night, the pig would be marinated and left to soak up all the "mojo" (seasoning...garlic, cumin, salt, oregano, lemon...just to mention a few) throughout the night the pig is marinating. The Cuban people help each other out during this special day. Neighbors will visit each other and help out. If you are not a party goer during noche buena you are the party giver.

Many Noche Buena parties will last until the early hours of the morning. There is lots of singing, dancing, joking around, and domino playing. Usually the only interruption is the 'Misa Del Gallo' (midnight mass). Once the mass is over most people return to the parties for more food, drinks, dancing and laughter. Of course most of the young kids fall asleep before the party really ends.

Unlike here in the United States the Cuban children do not receive any gifts on Christmas day. There is no Santa Claus. Our Christmas day is a recovering and relaxing time from the previous night do to our Christmas Eve party. It is a day to enjoy the tasty leftovers. The gifts our children receive are from the 'Reyes Magos' (The Three Wise Men)...on January 6. In many towns in Cuba the tradition will continue after Fidel with many formal processions in their honor. Men dressed as the Kings will lead the parade and toss candy to the children.

Before Castro banned the Three Wise Men parades, Cubans would get small Christmas Trees and decorated them beautifully. Lights and Ornaments and tears (tinsel) are hung on the branches. The most popular angel for Cuban decorating is Michael the Archangel. However, in Cuba it is not the Christmas tree that is the choice of many, instead the gorgeous 'Nacimientos' (nativity, or manger scenes) are definately the most important part of the holiday in most Cuban homes. The Cuban manger sets are quite large. The sad part about what I have just described is that the now generation of Cubans have not experienced a traditional Cuban Christmas Eve.

When the death announcement comes in, many old timers must start the old traditions once again. Then we will know that finally a Cuba Libre...A free Cuba will once again appear just 90 miles away from the land of the free the United States of America.

Have a Blessed and Happy Christmas to all...And a Very Happy New Year without Fidel Castro in Cuba in 2007.