On a side trip from Mexico City, we saw the countryside emblazoned with wild poinsettia plants in full bloom. They were everywhere on our trip.

  We took two trips to Mexico City's Zocolo (central square). The first, during the day, was impressive. Vendors were only in one area to the side and the large paved Zocolo was sprinkled with huge Christmas decorations seeming to rise out of the pavement--a pinata, ornaments, the three kings, etc.--all standing three times our height.

  A later trip at night showed all of these figures lighted from within with large Christmas tree bulbs. In addition, whole scenes were woven in lights spanning the street over our heads, and the buildings on all four sides of the Zocolo were festooned with lights making patterns and pictures. This lighting display in Mexico City's Zocolo stands out in my memory as the most magnificent Christmas lighting I have ever seen anywhere and I am something of a Christmas lighting aficionado
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 We arrived in Oaxaca on December 22. Oaxaca is smaller and much less sophisticated than Mexico City. The Zocolo is beautifully landscaped with benches and gardens and a large Gazebo in the center.

  Here, too, vendors were everywhere selling hand made merchandise of all kinds. There were no fantasy scenes for children's pictures, but there was a Santa wandering around for that purpose.

  In the evening, tables were set in the street and open space at one side of the Zocolo. Vendors sold "bunuelos" in clay bowls. This is sweet cinnamony fried pastry with syrup poured over it. When the "bunuelos" are eaten, the bowl is to be broken in the street for good luck in the new year.
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