A New Beginning
The True Spirit of Christmas
By the early 20th century, much of the gold and silver mining began to wane due to a lack of maintenance and economic changes. Such was the case in Tlalpujahua (Tlal-pooh-ha-wa). The mudslide which covered much of the town in May of 1937 was the death blow. With no industry, people left in droves. All that remained was a skeleton of a formerly thriving community.
Among those who left in search of new opportunities was Joaquin Muñoz Orta, who took his family and moved to Chicago in 1950. There he found work in an artificial Christmas tree factory. While in Chicago, he also learned the art of glass blowing. In the early 1960’s, he returned to Mexico and opened an artificial Christmas tree store in Mexico City. In addition to the trees, he sold hand blown glass ornaments. The tree sales were unimpressive, but the ornaments sold out quickly. He decided to return to his hometown and focus his efforts on the glass ornaments. There he opened a small factory called Adornos Navideños (Christmas Ornaments). The hand-blown and painted ornaments sold well and his business grew. Soon, other townspeople who had been in his employ started their own cottage industries. Today, there are two large factories and several hundred cottage industries. Entire families contribute to their respective workshops. Traditionally, the men blow the glass spheres and the women do the meticulous painting by hand.
Through this industrial metamorphosis, Tlalpujahua became known as the “Town of Eternal Christmas.” The town square hosts a tall artificial Christmas tree from September through December. Casa de Santa Claus (Santa’s House) is a local store selling Christmas decor year round. Local artisans sell their ornaments at the “Fair of the Spheres” from October through mid December. Tens of millions of glass ornaments are shipped throughout the world annually.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Tlalpujahua each year to feel the spirit of Christmas, regardless of the season. The story of Tlalpujahua highlights the impact one person can make for good. The rebirth of this small dying mining town is a living reminder of the message of Christmas and the difference that God’s son made.
At the time of Jesus Christ’s birth, the people of Bethlehem and the surrounding region felt the oppression of Roman rule. The triumphant news of the Messiah’s birth restored a sense of hope and the possibility of a better life. Each December, celebrations of the Savior’s birth remind us that new beginnings are possible if we just use His redemptive love to set us on a better path.
"Mwanzo wa karne ya 20 ""Mungu wa kweli"" alianza kuonekana katika madini ya dhahabu na fedha, na kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa matengenezo na mabadiliko ya kiuchumi, madini mengi yalianza kupungua." Ndivyo ilivyokuwa katika Tlalpujahua (Tlal-pooh-ha-wa). Mvua ya matope iliyopiga sehemu kubwa ya mji huo mnamo Mei 1937 ilikuwa pigo la kifo. Bila viwanda, watu waliondoka kwa wingi. Kile kilichobaki kilikuwa mifupa ya jumuiya iliyokuwa ikitawala. Mmoja wa watu waliohamia Chicago kwa ajili ya fursa mpya alikuwa Joaquin Muñoz Orta, ambaye aliishi Chicago na familia yake mwaka wa 1950. Huko alipata kazi katika kiwanda cha kutengeneza miti ya Krismasi bandia. Alipokuwa Chicago, pia alijifunza sanaa ya kupiga kioo. Katika miaka ya 1960, alirudi Mexico na kufungua duka la miti ya Krismasi bandia huko Mexico City. Mbali na miti, aliuza mapambo ya kioo yaliyotengenezwa kwa mkono. Mauzo ya miti hayakuwa yenye kuvutia, lakini mapambo yaliuzwa upesi. Aliamua kurudi katika mji wake wa nyumbani na kukazia fikira mapambo ya kioo. Huko alifungua kiwanda kidogo kilichoitwa Adornos Navideños (Vipodozi vya Krismasi). Vito vilivyopakwa rangi na kupakwa moshi vilinunuliwa vizuri na biashara yake ikakua. Punde si punde, watu wengine wa mji ambao walikuwa wamemfanya kazi walianzisha viwanda vyao wenyewe. Leo, kuna viwanda viwili vikubwa na mamia kadhaa ya viwanda vya nyumbani. Familia nzima huchangia katika warsha zao. Kwa kawaida, wanaume huvuta mipira ya kioo na wanawake huchora kwa mikono. Kupitia mabadiliko haya ya viwanda, Tlalpujahua ilijulikana kama "Jiji la Krismasi ya Milele". Uwanja wa mji unakaribisha mti mrefu wa Krismasi ya bandia kutoka Septemba hadi Desemba. Casa de Santa Claus (Santa's House) ni duka la ndani linalouza mapambo ya Krismasi mwaka mzima. Wasanii wa mahali hapo huuza mapambo yao kwenye "Mwadhimisho wa Spheres" kuanzia Oktoba hadi katikati ya Desemba. Mamilioni ya vito vya kioo husafirishwa ulimwenguni pote kila mwaka. Mamia ya maelfu ya watalii hutembelea Tlalpujahua kila mwaka ili kuhisi roho ya Krismasi, bila kujali majira. Hadithi ya Tlalpujahua inaonyesha jinsi mtu mmoja aweza kuwa na uvutano mzuri. Kuzaliwa upya kwa mji huu mdogo wa madini unaokufa ni ukumbusho hai wa ujumbe wa Krismasi na tofauti ambayo mwana wa Mungu alifanya. Wakati wa kuzaliwa kwa Yesu Kristo, watu wa Bethlehemu na eneo la karibu walihisi ukandamizaji wa utawala wa Waroma. Habari zenye kusisimua za kuzaliwa kwa Masihi zilirudisha tumaini na uwezekano wa maisha bora. Kila Desemba, sherehe za kuzaliwa kwa Mwokozi zinatukumbusha kwamba mwanzo mpya unawezekana ikiwa tu tutatumia upendo wake wa ukombozi kutuweka kwenye njia bora.