Christmas traditions

...The Gavle Jul Goat (the world's largest Christmas goat) has survived an attack by vandals intent on incineration (It's become a tradition). Meanwhile, here on Guam, our smaller but still impressive Swedish Jul Goat is safe inside our concrete bunker.

...There are signs all over Guam this month that say, "Lumot 4 sale." Since we were unfamiliar with the term Cheryl asked one of our Chamorro friends about it.

Apparently lumot is a moss which grows in the thick of the boonies and which has become the traditional bedding for the manger in the Nativity scenes which are so common on this Roman Catholic island. It's expensive but essential for a traditional set-up. Most people these days prefer to buy it than fight the mosquitoes to harvest it off the jungle rocks.