Newspaper clipping, “90 Degrees at Argentine Yule,” 1968-1969
Entry/Object ID
84.89
Collection
WR 84: American Field Service Clubs Collection
Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Clipping, Newspaper
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
Clipping
Nomenclature Sub-Class
Other Documents
Nomenclature Class
Documentary Objects
Nomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication Objects
Publication Details
Publication Type
Newspaper
Date Published
1968 - 1969
Transcription
90 Degrees At Argentine Yule
According to Raul Tettamanti, the exchange student from Argentina, 100 degree temperatures are not unheard of in his native country on Christmas Day. Because there Christmas comes during the summer rather than in the winter plus the fact that the climate is warmer than it is in Worcester County.
Other than the summer time date and a shorter season, Christmas in his hometown of Fafaela is similar to that of the yuletide season here. This year he will spend Christmas with the Louis Shockley family where he is staying here.
In Argentina the Christmas season begins about a week before Christmas instead of around Thanksgiving. During this time the stores do their advertising and the people buy their gifts for their relatives and friends.
In the big cities there is a Papa Noel in the larger stores for the children. He is the same as Santa Claus in this country and is dressed in a similar fashion. He also comes on Christmas Eve to bring the presents for the children.
The family gets together on Christmas Eve and opens their gifts. There is also a decorated tree as we have here. Following a dinner many families go to a midnight service. However, Raul said that his family usually attends services on Christmas day. The predominent religion in that country is Catholic.
After the service many of the people go to dances in the clubs and stay until dawn.
New Year's Eve is considered to be just as important an occasion to Raul and his family as is Christmas. They also attend church services at midnight on New Year's Eve. Following the service they again go to dances in the big clubs in their town.
After New Year's Day there is a third day of celebration on January 5. This is when the three kings come and is called the day of Magic Kings. However, it is not considered to be as important as the other two.
On this night the children put their shoes outside their doors and the three kings fill them with gifts.
Raul said that he is still "dreaming of a White Christmas" to quote the line from the well known song here. He saw his first snowfall just a few weeks ago when it snowed here for the first time this year. He said that it is unusual for the temperature in his town to go below 32 degrees and that most of the time in the winter it is around 40 degrees. In the summer it goes from 90 to 100 degrees.
His native town is about twice as large as Salisbury but he said that it does not seem as large because of the difference in the business section. There the town has no large stores or large business section but has only small stores.
Raul and his three American brothers wait for Christmas which is just around the corner. Pictured are: (left to right) Bill, Raul, Larry and Lane.
Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Louis William Shockley, Jr., Lane Edsel Shockley, Larry Gene Shockley, Louis William Shockley, Raul Oscar Eduard Tettamanti