Christmas in Ayacucho, Peru (a preview)

So I have been patiently listening and trying to grasp what will or will not happen in Ayacucho, Peru around Christmas. I will let you know later what comes to pass. A lot of it has been peeking my curiostiy. This morning at breakfast Rosa, my host mom, enlightened me a little more.
Rosa first said, that Christmas here is more like a party or fiesta here. The evangelical church does not typically observe advent or preach or talk about the birth of Christ. They have chocolatatas and parties where kids and adults recieve gifts. I heard in church on Sunday that there would be a program on Friday the 24th during the afternoon evening, a 4 hour affair not the usual two hour service, according to Pastor Miqueas. I have not heard if we are going or not. I wonder what it will be like? Maybe I could pop in. On the 24th of Diciembre there will be a gathering at the Sulca-Tucno house. It will be at 12 midnight leading us into Diciembre 25th. We have decided to have a sorteo or gift exchange by drawing names, instead of buying something for everyone. I drew Miguel Gomez´s name (he is a cousin). He is a drummer and young man so I got him some new drum sticks and a watch.
Rosa also told me this morning that she needs to season the meat tommorrow, and I said ¨the turkey?¨ She said yes, but ¨Also the carne.¨ Huh? Isn´t turkey meat?!! You know what I am just not going to ask in a house of vegetarians that eat meat. Rosa explained we would have the traditional turkey, but also this year lamb. I said what gives. She said that Papa Victor (Habacuc´s dad) had given Sheridad a newborn lamb as a present sometime back, and they had been raising it there at the house in the city. About ten days before I arrived they shipped it off to Papa Victor and Mama Julia´s house in Chacra so that when I arrived a crazy sheep wouldn´t be galavanting about. As if that would the craziest thing I experienced here?(I felt bad for Sheridad). Is anyone else getting this Charlotte´s Web sort of feel in their bones? The lamb´s name was Inca. Èach week the Sulca-Tucnos would give mama Julia a little money or propina to help take care of Inca. Well apparently last week Inca the attitudinal sheep head butted Papa Victor and knocked him down. One of Habacuc´s brothers saw what happened and well needless to say Inca has now become Inca Kola and will be joining us for Christmas dinner. Sheridad was sad, she hopes to get another lamb. That is what I know for now about Christmas dinner.
I have talked a little bit with the Sulca-Tucnos about our Christmas traditions, as they ask. They mainly want to know what we eat and do. Rosa invited me to share the meaning of advent and the wreath and to read the Christmas story with their family on Christmas eve when I mentioned that was something we did at church. She thinks it will be fun to have an intercultural exchange this year, me too. I think I am going to enlist the kids...Eunice, Penuel, Sheridad, and Miguel to help me. We will see how it goes.