_{© Suzanne Barbezat}

We're so used to seeing poinsettias as small potted plants that it's a bit startling to see them towering over this wall. This is not such an uncommon sight in southern Mexico where the poinsettia originates.

The poinsettia is known as Flor de Nochebuena in Spanish. Nochebuena means "good night," but is also the name given to Christmas Eve. Find out more about the Mexican Christmas Flower, and Mexican Christmas traditions.

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If you're planning a trip to Cancun or the Mayan Riviera this holiday season, perhaps you would consider packing something extra in your suitcase for some of the less fortunate children in the area. Give a Toy, Get a Smile makes it easy to donate items to needy children on your vacation.

Give a Toy, Get a Smile is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2006 by Nancy Myers, originally from New York City. The program is modeled on Toys for Tots, and distributes toys, books, clothing and school supplies to needy children in the area of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. The toys are distributed among children from families with AIDS/HIV, schools for children with mental, physical and emotional problems, orphanages, and children living in the jungle outside of Cancun.

Some of the items you can donate include new, unwrapped toys (not battery-operated), coloring books and crayons, school supplies such as backpacks, lunch boxes, pens, pencils, and erasers, etc. There are drop-off points in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos and Tulum. If you would like to make a financial contribution, the charity also accepts donations through Paypal.

For more information about the Give a Toy, Get a Smile program, visit their website: Give a Toy, Get a Smile.

During this holiday shopping season, treat your loved ones - or yourself! - to a little piece of Mexico! Here are some gift ideas for the Mexicophile in your life.

• Posters and Prints of Mexico Destinations: A seascape, or a poster of one of Mexico's gorgeous colonial cities or intriguing archaeological sites makes a great gift.


• Movies Set in Mexico: There are so many different kinds of movies on this list, from classics like The Night of the Iguana, to recent comedies like Nacho Libre, one of these DVDs will hit the right note with someone on your list.


• Best Mexico Guidebooks: Anyone planning a trip to Mexico would be happy to receive one of these guide books.

_{Photo by lecates, licensed under Creative Commons}

Playa del Secreto (Secret Beach) is a beautiful beach near Puerto Morelos in the Mayan Riviera.

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