The celebrations of Christmas 2024 are but a distant memory, and we find ourselves at the threshold of 2026.
Time for Peace
As we find ourselves in a period of reflection once again, we are filled with optimism and the belief that the current global challenges will serve as a foundation for a society characterized by love and compassion. We anticipate the unification of our countries into a single nation, with competition being replaced by collaboration and cooperation.
What is Christmas?
Christmas and New Year’s Eve have a magic that evokes memories of childhood, when authenticity was part of being enveloped in that freshness, spontaneity, and sincerity that later give way to adult concerns, such as worries about the future, what one will be when one grows up. Society demands that one be competitive in order to be successful.
Paradigms
The concept of necessity, enveloped in grand paradigms, has been transformed into meaningless consumerism. Status now dictates who a person is, and becoming prosperous has become an obligation, with the novelty that the price to be paid is excessively high because we have forgotten both to live in the present with our families and to express the wonder of being children without social flaws.
Christmas in the community
And Christmas in our community means returning to the simplicity of life, waiting for the bag of candy, the soccer ball, or the plastic car that is shared with siblings and schoolmates – as simple as that, without expecting significant or expensive gifts to make us happy.
Old Year's Widows
The “widows” of Old Year is a unique Ecuadorian tradition at the end of the year that is also carried out at Sani Lodge as part of our culture. Participants collect old clothes to make a dummy filled with sawdust or paper that represents the so-called “old year,” which will be placed in a hut made of dry branches. The men dress up as widows in women’s clothing, mourning the death of the old year and standing next to their beloved, asking passersby for money to supposedly finance the funeral of the effigy representing the old year. At midnight on December 31, the old year will be burned, along with all the bad energy, in the hope that the new year will bring much prosperity.
Christmas and New Year's Eve
Sani Lodge is an intimate establishment, an ideal location to bring the family together and strengthen bonds in a setting characterized by the wonders of nature. The region’s biodiversity, including toucans, parrots, monkeys, frogs, and centuries-old trees, as well as unique sunsets, contributes to its natural splendor. Expert guides provide an exceptional experience for children, enhancing the educational value of the excursions. Activities are tailored to meet the family’s needs.
May Christmas and New Year’s be filled with sincerity and love, just as our childhood used to be.
