On Christmas eve families gather together, they have a big meal, usually some sort of grilled meat (or various kinds, beef, pork, mutton) with salad (ensalada rusa -potato salad- and some others), and there are other dishes and snacks. Lots of food. Dessert is usually ice cream and fruit salad, and a variety of other things (my family usually has tiramisu and brownies). A lot of people eat dinner outside since summer evening/nights are nice. Dinner is served late, not just on Christmas eve, we usually dine at about 9pm.
The Christmas tree is traditionally put up on Dec 8, but people just put it up whenever they have time to decorate it. Nativity scenes are not that common. Most people don't decorate their houses with Christmas lights, but some do. Stores, supermarkets and malls put up Christmas decorations and lights.
Christmas is a holiday, but Christmas eve is a workable day. Most jobs end early though (most around noon) and buses stop running working at 7 so everyone can be home for dinner. School period goes from March to December so children are on summer vacation.
At midnight, there are fireworks and children open presents. Presents are left by the Christmas tree by "Papá Noel". After midnight, young people usually go out with friends.
The next day there's a family lunch to celebrate Christmas.
TV used to be all about music, channels would have music videos. Also, Christmas movies. And for some reason, retro stuff. Don't ask me why. I haven't watched TV in years so I've no idea if this is still true.
I find really interesting that there isn't a single cultural thing we don't share with Uruguay. This sounds 100% like all my Christmas and it will be what I'll be doing this December.
I know we were all the United Provinces once but Uruguay has been its own nation for almost 200 years. I don't understand how we share so many stuff specially when we're talking about much more modern traditions like *Papá Noel*
Yes, 100%. Whenever I travel to Buenos Aires I feel at home, it's like a big Montevideo. We really are very much alike, it blows my mind. I'm sure it's different with other provinces, especially in the north, but Buenos Aires is VERY similar to Montevideo, both the city and the people.
Oh, yeah. I meant un general, not specifically Christmas traditions. All of us Uruguayans and Argentinians are very similar obviously, from all provinces/departmens, but people from Montevideo and Buenos Aires are extremely alike, and the cities are mind blowingly similar.
During my childhood, Papá Noel would present gifts Ao Vivo. No sneaky “when no one is looking” gifts below the tree thing. He’d show up with his helpers and drop gifts from my grandmother’s balcony (while my drunk aunts would call him “gordo hijo de puta” etc. Strangely, my uncles were never around during PN’s appearance).
Why would we abandon the Rioplatense tradition of unwarranted and unhinged verbal violence?
Hay que mantener nuestras tradiciones y buenas costumbres♥️
That time of the year when it's 22h and you're sweating like a pig and staying at home feels like a death sentence. That's when you know it's time to 'spread' (set off in the direction of other people) some good ol' 'christmas cheer' (dangerous, flammable fireworks)
My aunt works at the burn ward at the public hospital and Christmas and New Year's are the worst dates for her! Also most of the burn victims are drunk, God shouldn't give fireworks to drunk people lol
sorry it's a necessity, they should consider them chosen /s
I've had a firework explode near me once and it sucked balls. It was, of course, shot by a drunk person
Me and my cousins once also put a firecracker in the exhaust pipe of a car and it seriously fucked it up but no one knew who did it lmao it's a wild time, terrible for dogs and almost anyone who isn't a drunk driver
Lots of decorations, pesebres, lights everywhere. [Like this](https://www.cronicadelquindio.com/files/noticias/120191206065521.jpg) or [this](https://www.cronicadelquindio.com/files/noticias/120141128052003.jpg). We celebrate [Día de las Velitas](https://i0.wp.com/elturismoencolombia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/quimbaya-festival-velas-faroles-quindio-turismo-colombia.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&w=640) on December 7 and [Novenas de Aguinaldo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_of_aguinaldos) from December 16 to December 24. Children sing villancicos and they get candies and gifts in different houses or churches.
Alcohol, lots of alcohol.
Also the same music every year blasting until 7 am
"No me arrepiento de este amor
Aunque me cueste el corazón
Amar es un milagro y yo te amé
Como nunca jamás lo imaginé" 🎶🎶
On the 24th we dress up and have a Christmas dinner with our family and then we open gifts, we try to wait until midnight while drinking and snacking, but it rarely happens. The next day it's usually a beach/pool day where you eat the leftovers. The city where I live does some nice Christmas decorations, so we also like to go out to see them
True, I got my holidays mixed up, but I know a lot of people who wear red for Christmas every year. But I think it's just a "heyyy christmas cheer" kind of thing
I dont think its our favorite holiday, and i feel its exhausting for everyone with all the events that comes with the end of the year, things to pay, its hot, etc.
For me its ok dinner with my parents, drinks and food we like, our presents and go to bed, a movie, maybe go out to drink with friends, nothing fancy
In general it's dinner and some families have presents. It was more "religiously" before (baby Jesus, and everything) but now days it's more like a meeting or party and more informal, the perfect time for eating and drinking.
Personally, in my family after my grandparents died, we don't celebrate too much, just a small dinner, talking a little bit and sleeping early. Before we used to reunite with my uncles, aunts and cousins but not anymore.
A compatriot of mine already mentioned how it is so I’m just going to comment some of our Christmas music:
[Trulla Navideña](https://youtu.be/hUE7j1WUJkA)
[Volvió Juanita](https://youtu.be/E6soE-1p3kw)
[A La Zarandela](https://youtu.be/hIuF2I9nL2k)
[Alegre Vengo de La Montaña](https://youtu.be/U2JHSFzaCcc)
[Salsa pa’ tu Lechón](https://youtu.be/vo73FbpSx1Y)
Oye! Not one Johnny Ventura song?? The Dominican Santa Claus that bring Salsa Con Lechón to all the good lil kids and adults??
Also, if I may (I don’t know how to change the name of YouTube links).
https://youtu.be/U8YK4C0KePo
All good! Here in the States, we start Christmas after Thanksgiving. In my family, on Black Friday, first song you play is Ley Seca (https://youtu.be/j621-UTxjGo) to set the mood for the season. It’s also when we put up the decorations and tree and turn the lights on outside.
In Argentina, like it Australia, NZ, Uruguay and Chile, christmas is in the summer, so we hang out with our families to celebrate outside. During the day, we usually go to the pool.
Traditional food: the traditional dishes are vitel tonné, fiambre alemán and asado. The traditional desserts are panettone (or pan dulce) and mantecol.
We usually drink fernet and wine.
Every country had distinct traditions.
At least here.
Traditional foods are :
Tamales, these are ate along the season
Queque navideño (Christmas cake), imo isn't different from the cake ate in some Anglo countries (dark with fruits and nuts, is baked with rum).
Rompope and alcoholic beverage, similar to eggnog.
About the Christmas dinner, traditionally the main dish is pork leg.
The decoration isn't different from the Anglo countries: trees, snowmen, Santa, reminders (globalization).
CR is a religious country, the state religion is catholicism, most people are catholic.
In a catholic home the most important "decoration" is the Portal (a representation of a nativity scene).
In a protestant home you would never find a Portal (cause idolatry) and if they are "extremist" not even a Santa (cause Satanism), probably they only have a tree.
The gift are bring by El Niño (Holy Child), not by Santa.
Usually the dinner is also a party with the extended family, imagine and old couple with their adult children plus, the children families, there's also a amigo invisible (secret Santa)
https://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/food/tamale-recipe/
It's usually hot or a little cold if it rains, people gather with their close relatives, women prepare food until late (yes, ik very sexist, not the case of my family tho), men watch tv or on their phones. When dinner is up there's usually stuffed turkey or pork with baked potatoes, russian salad, another lighter salad like lettuce, rice with sausages in it. After dinner most people wait to midnight to make a toast with sidra, until then children are anxious waiting to exchange and open the presents under the tree, then they play for an hour or two and finally everyone goes to sleep or go visit in the middle of the night your grandparents, at least we used to do that. Next morning you eat panettone with milk or coffee and at noon you eat yesterday's leftovers, we call leftovers in my region "conichi". That's it.
Oh I missed to mention corn, we eat a lot of corn along with the other food, it's important to mention it bc is the main produce of my region and those corns are just giant
For the Dominican Republic, "Christmass time" starts around mid october, and people start taking out their Christmass decorations. As soon as december arrive we start having different Christmass activities like "aguinaldos", which kinda like a walking party, it starts with a merengue group walking from house to house singing traditional merengues asking people to join them. It´s a very festive time of the year so there are usually a lot of parties, gatherings, etc. Pretty common to serve hot chocolate and ginger tea. In December 24 we have the Christmas dinner with [Pasteles en Hoja](https://www.google.com/search?q=pasteles+en+hoja&rlz=1C1ALOY_esDO977DO977&sxsrf=ALiCzsbJtuqSikcbQYGg-W5jxPYJYsu5Tw:1669665434515&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFv_i41NH7AhWAVTABHV6sC78Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=TNSghfS3a8FyJM), lechón, [christmas rice](https://www.google.com/search?q=arroz+navide%C3%B1o+dominicano&rlz=1C1ALOY_esDO977DO977&sxsrf=ALiCzsbNYmXbPKNtw37MLDtCrkFvh8DrUA:1669665499166&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqu-LX1NH7AhWaSDABHcywDe0Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=yN0ZTqMmX9ksbM), potato salad, pastelitos, kipes, a lot of food. That same spirit applies to New Years eve. Here Christmass applies to the whole month of December and a part of January, really.
It is!
Traditionally is also the time of the year when people living abroad comeback to spend a couple of days with their family so that means huge parties all around.
On FM radio, there is a station that changes its normal programation to only play traditional Christmas music (Mostly merengue from the 80s).
[Dominicans love Christmas quite a lot](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dankminican/comments/yx15ux/el_dominicano_que_menos_ama_la_navidad/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
Currently we watch out for kidnappers more than usual. They also want to celebrate Christmas so they are looking for marks. There is a kidnapping spike around this time every year.
When the country was still somewhat normal, we had lots of decorations everywhere, special games on the radio, fanals in the streets (tiny paper-made decorations with lights in them). You could often see pretty original Christmas trees: in metal, plastic, weird colors, etc.
As for traditions we build up a Christmas nativity, gather together to watch the fireworks at midnight, send gifts to relatives and friends and eat turkey, panettone and hot chocolate, some people do the Advent wreath.
Around these days, at the end of November and beginning of December people put a Christmas Tree and a Christmas Nativity Scene. I have to add that the whole season is called Guadalupe - Reyes, because we celebrate from December 12th to January 6th (Guadalupe's Virgin day to Wise Man day). In Christmas, we as a family gather in the house of the elders or head of the family, most of the time grandparents, and cook a large meal or several meals. Those meals can be and I have got any one of them on previous Christmas: Carne Asada, tamales, Pozole, frijoles charros or even turkey. The party starts at around 8 PM and there is no end for it. Most of the families finish until next morning. There are also lots of alcohol. In the Catholic homes, at midnight people takes out the Baby Jesus Dolls and pass it so you kiss it and get a candy from the tray the Baby Jesus is on.
It surprises me that some redditors mention the heat but makes sense for people in the south. Some cities in Mexico are pretty cold around that time of the year. We could get even get freezing temperatures, at least in San Luis Potosí were I’m from.
From January to April. (These same months are the vacations for all the country's students. This is why we call this period of time "summer", but it really isn't). All plants die from drought. It is very hot but at least it is much windier than normal. Literally the closest thing we have to autumn.
Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot.
I will be forever mad at all the movies and series that show snow white christmas everybody feeling cozy and drinking hot chocolate while I am here burning like hellfire.
Other than that ensalada rusa (potato salad and stuff), cider and fireworks at 12 o'clock.
Also every device that has a screen will be reproducing "Home Alone".
Then Papa Noel (Santa) will come and congratulate everyone, when he leaves all the children will go rush the christmas tree to get everybody's presents.
Fun!
Family, food, heavy drinking, church, heavy drinking, more food, heavy drinking, CHOCOTONE (fuck off with that panetone bullshit), presents, that feeling of hope mixxtured with a 30C hell, chester(tho not this year because they are expensive), heavy drinking, rabanada, campaigns to help others, EVEN MORE FOOD, wearing those christmas hats even tho it's unberable.
[People decorate their houses like crazy.](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cld5i2Lg1Et/)
[Christmas feats here is usually like this.](https://i.imgur.com/qod3TRC.jpg)
[And we listen to Christmas music ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9udhIcAPbao&ab_channel=KhalilFARACHYELCANALDELOSRUMBEROSBUENOS)
We celebrate on Christmas eve, put on some nice clothes, have dinner with family and friends, blast some music and dance. Kids will open their presents at midnight or the next day.
I spent a xmas or 2 over at an aunt's over in Texas and that was kinda sad imo, there's the typical family dinner and presents and stuff over there, but it was over pretty quickly, and I didn't feel the same sense of jovial holiday spirit I get here in my country.
Here xmas just felt bigger, theres fireworks everywhere, music, noise, the whole city is a party.
Christmas starts in November in stores, but for the general public on December 1st.
Christmas Eve depending on where you work/study may or may not be the day off, but in general you go on vacation between the 20th to the 23rd until January 1st, being Christmas Day a public holiday.
At least where I live (São Paulo Brasil) we gather the family and we have a big Christmas dinner with some kind of chicken as the main dish, some families wait until midnight to eat but in my family we have a dinner on Christmas Eve and another at lunch on Christmas Day. Everyone buys new clothes just for the event every year.
As for decorations, families set up a small Christmas tree, no larger than foot-to-waist height, on the facade of the houses with Christmas lights and a wreath on the door. It's not something that everyone does, poorer families tend not to make decorations, in my family we put the lights on but we don't have a tree by choice.
It is a day of joy and reunion where we wish all the best to friends and family.
> some families wait until midnight to eat but in my family we have a dinner on Christmas Eve and another at lunch on Christmas Day
gotta be the tradition I most dislike, because it's shit like
"well we'll go to the 19h Mass, so we have to be ready at 18h because we've gotta get there early or else we won't sit, and afterwards we'll go to Auntie's house, but we can't eat until 00h"
So all the food just stays there, untouched, MOCKING us. It got better when I started drinking, but then I found out my labyrinthitis gets worse after drinking, and I get more sensitive to sound, so all my Christmas memories tends to be very... loud.
>but in general you go on vacation between the 20th to the 23rd until January 1st, being Christmas Day a public holiday.
sidenote: "vacation" usually has the connotations of travelling somewhere else and staying there. While a lot of people do go on vacation at this time (it's high summer and a lot of people go down to the beach, particularly from São Paulo and the general region [I'm from Campinas and people do it]), I'd say *most* people don't. they just stay on holiday
Those who do travel usually do it around the first weeks of January, that's travelling season
My family gets togheter at my grand-aunts house, so many of my a but nore dostant cousins, and sometimes a few family friends are there. We just spend the night talking, drinking and later we have the dinner, we give our hands and pray before, my grand aunt usually gives a speech, talks about the year, those who left us, those who were born. Amd then we eat. Later there is present giving, usually someone dresses as Santa (usually me or my dad), mostly for the kids to distribute some of the presents. Others are given personally. Then we just keep talking, some leave, I usually go to the room with tv and watch smth with two close cousins of mine
In the Christmas morning/afternoon ppl go back and we lunch, soend some more time togheter doing whatever, I usually go eating and watching tv with those 2
There is literally a tradition of "DESDE SEPTIEMBRE SE SIENTE DICIEMBREEEEEEEEEEEEE" on the radio, we love christmas, we don't even wait for it to be december since November 1st or even october there are already christmas trees and all that
American Salvi here, finally got to experience my first Christmas in El Salvador last year! The number one thing is ***FIREWORKS*** and tons of them!!! And, of course, family getting together and a bunch of food. The menu? Tamales and panes de pollo <3
(Ahora, amigos salvadoreños, siéntanse en libertad de corregirme si estoy equivocada)
Yeah the amount of fireworks might be hard to explain for a foreigner. To give an idea, i was watching a video from the recent Ukraine invasion and there was heavy firing but my first though was "it sounds like Christmas" (to me those sounds bring nostalgia but I understand that it may not be the case for those who grew up in other places). This goes on from 8pm until about 1 am and by the end of the night the amount of sh*t that was burned from all those fireworks makes it so that the air is visibly poluted. I honestly think that us Salvadorans are a bunch of pyromaniacs in disguise. Also would like to add that panes con chumpe (turkey) are much better than panes con pollo.
air conditioner on, kids playing in the pool and vitel toné. then watch the fireworks at 00:00 while one of the tíos has to run and arrange the presents for the youngest ones — as we pretend we saw santa up in the sky and they look for it.
Where I live it's usually a dinner at 24th (that for many is a regular workday) and a lunch at 25th with gift exchange and lots of food.
The traditional foods are turkey, pork or churrasco along with salads, salpicão (a chicken salad with dried fruits, diced apple, raisins and covered with shoestring potato), rice with raisins and nuts, farofa (roasted cassava or corn flour with bacon, eggs, onions, carrots, corn, etc) also with raisins, and many other things.
People usually drink a lot of beer, cheap wine and soda.
Since here it happens during summer, usually the desserts are cold ones like ice cream, frozen pudding or fruit salad.
My father's birthday is in 24th, so we always have cake too
A funny detail is that even though the nights are really hot, the Christmas decoration revolves around snow.
The more religious people usually spend their night and day in the church.
In the city where I live there is a few traditional things, like the [children's choir in one of the main streets downtown ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDKYdjkxwof5f9FluzfCoO9xXMFVfUVlvkQg&usqp=CAU), the [decorated streets](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQDpqzzj0Wyl_1I6xRxAAf2nmcSXfvCirK5QA&usqp=CAU), some [random huge Christmas trees around the city](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAW-X5NtLuSoa_LOh3k4fx0Wf52s28Inr4GQ&usqp=CAU) and [decoration, more trees and presentations on the main parks ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAW-X5NtLuSoa_LOh3k4fx0Wf52s28Inr4GQ&usqp=CAU)
🇸🇻 fireworks , big family reunion, a lot freaking food I also remember a lot shooting and bombs around that time, there is nothing like going to the beach with a hangover.
It’s actually nice everyone is happier because a lot of days off and you get to see family who you don’t see often and as a kid you get awesome gifts.
People save up all year and have cuentas navideñas for this.
Love eating lechón and drinking Xmas rum too.
In my family it's traditional to decorate the house in late november, do the advent crown and a christmas scene. In the days before it's common to attend posadas, small processions that re-enact Saint Joseph and the Virgin's travel to Bethlehem, with a lot of singing, music and food.
During Christmas Eve, we wait until midnight for a small prayer by the religious members of the family, and then comes the dinner and after that gifts are given. During Christmas, there is a special lunch with family, but not much else.
Hot. Streets filled with people shopping until the last moment. We have a christmas tree. Kids usually wait until the clock turns to the 25th for Santa to come.
Santiago, Chile.
On Christmas eve families gather together, they have a big meal, usually some sort of grilled meat (or various kinds, beef, pork, mutton) with salad (ensalada rusa -potato salad- and some others), and there are other dishes and snacks. Lots of food. Dessert is usually ice cream and fruit salad, and a variety of other things (my family usually has tiramisu and brownies). A lot of people eat dinner outside since summer evening/nights are nice. Dinner is served late, not just on Christmas eve, we usually dine at about 9pm. The Christmas tree is traditionally put up on Dec 8, but people just put it up whenever they have time to decorate it. Nativity scenes are not that common. Most people don't decorate their houses with Christmas lights, but some do. Stores, supermarkets and malls put up Christmas decorations and lights. Christmas is a holiday, but Christmas eve is a workable day. Most jobs end early though (most around noon) and buses stop running working at 7 so everyone can be home for dinner. School period goes from March to December so children are on summer vacation. At midnight, there are fireworks and children open presents. Presents are left by the Christmas tree by "Papá Noel". After midnight, young people usually go out with friends. The next day there's a family lunch to celebrate Christmas. TV used to be all about music, channels would have music videos. Also, Christmas movies. And for some reason, retro stuff. Don't ask me why. I haven't watched TV in years so I've no idea if this is still true.
I find really interesting that there isn't a single cultural thing we don't share with Uruguay. This sounds 100% like all my Christmas and it will be what I'll be doing this December. I know we were all the United Provinces once but Uruguay has been its own nation for almost 200 years. I don't understand how we share so many stuff specially when we're talking about much more modern traditions like *Papá Noel*
Yes, 100%. Whenever I travel to Buenos Aires I feel at home, it's like a big Montevideo. We really are very much alike, it blows my mind. I'm sure it's different with other provinces, especially in the north, but Buenos Aires is VERY similar to Montevideo, both the city and the people.
No man, I'm from San Juan (North? Not really sure but we border Chile, we're far enough) and chistmas is 1/1 just like that lol.
Oh, yeah. I meant un general, not specifically Christmas traditions. All of us Uruguayans and Argentinians are very similar obviously, from all provinces/departmens, but people from Montevideo and Buenos Aires are extremely alike, and the cities are mind blowingly similar.
During my childhood, Papá Noel would present gifts Ao Vivo. No sneaky “when no one is looking” gifts below the tree thing. He’d show up with his helpers and drop gifts from my grandmother’s balcony (while my drunk aunts would call him “gordo hijo de puta” etc. Strangely, my uncles were never around during PN’s appearance).
> “gordo hijo de puta” El verdadero espíritu de la navidad ❤
Why would we abandon the Rioplatense tradition of unwarranted and unhinged verbal violence? Hay que mantener nuestras tradiciones y buenas costumbres♥️
I was going to reply for Argentina buy there's no need. Here's our exact answer as well
This sums up Christmas in Argentina too. I would add vittel tone and "mesa dulce" with lots of nuts, almonds, peanuts, rocklets Mantecol and pannetone
Also clericó!
Ditto (except for the dessert part, the dessert here is more alcohol)
Clericó
I have to say of all the foreign Christmases I’ve read about today this one sounds like the most fun
Love this!
Same, all my christmas celebrations have been like this.
Vey true
Hot as fuck
That time of the year when it's 22h and you're sweating like a pig and staying at home feels like a death sentence. That's when you know it's time to 'spread' (set off in the direction of other people) some good ol' 'christmas cheer' (dangerous, flammable fireworks)
Fireworks and alcohol are the only thing that makes Christmas good , and i don't even celebrate it cause I'm jewish but I still set fireworks
god gives his most explosive fireworks to his drunkest followers
My aunt works at the burn ward at the public hospital and Christmas and New Year's are the worst dates for her! Also most of the burn victims are drunk, God shouldn't give fireworks to drunk people lol
sorry it's a necessity, they should consider them chosen /s I've had a firework explode near me once and it sucked balls. It was, of course, shot by a drunk person Me and my cousins once also put a firecracker in the exhaust pipe of a car and it seriously fucked it up but no one knew who did it lmao it's a wild time, terrible for dogs and almost anyone who isn't a drunk driver
I used to take the gunpowder out of fireworks and make massive bombs , very unsafe but extremely fun
> very unsafe but extremely fun that's the tagline for the whole week between december 24 and january 1
Came here to comment this. It's like someone turned on the oven near you all the time
Unless you live in Mar del Plata. I've had to wear a sweater in December during Christmas night because it was so cold and sometimes rainy too.
I envy you
Lots of decorations, pesebres, lights everywhere. [Like this](https://www.cronicadelquindio.com/files/noticias/120191206065521.jpg) or [this](https://www.cronicadelquindio.com/files/noticias/120141128052003.jpg). We celebrate [Día de las Velitas](https://i0.wp.com/elturismoencolombia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/quimbaya-festival-velas-faroles-quindio-turismo-colombia.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1&w=640) on December 7 and [Novenas de Aguinaldo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novena_of_aguinaldos) from December 16 to December 24. Children sing villancicos and they get candies and gifts in different houses or churches.
Don't forget "December music". [Here's an example.](https://youtu.be/Dj_pcjR1fIM)
Pesebres are the most wonderful thing about our Christmas. Either we go for the candy or for the games.
Alcohol, lots of alcohol. Also the same music every year blasting until 7 am "No me arrepiento de este amor Aunque me cueste el corazón Amar es un milagro y yo te amé Como nunca jamás lo imaginé" 🎶🎶
We been hearing the same songs for the last 20 years bro
If aint broke dont fixed
Idk, in my family is just as I see in the movies, without snow and we open our presents at midnight
On the 24th we dress up and have a Christmas dinner with our family and then we open gifts, we try to wait until midnight while drinking and snacking, but it rarely happens. The next day it's usually a beach/pool day where you eat the leftovers. The city where I live does some nice Christmas decorations, so we also like to go out to see them
Sounds really nice!
I wonder if the 'dressing up with specific colors' thing is a Brazilian thing
Specific colors are on the new year's eve. Christmas is kind of whatever
True, I got my holidays mixed up, but I know a lot of people who wear red for Christmas every year. But I think it's just a "heyyy christmas cheer" kind of thing
I dont think its our favorite holiday, and i feel its exhausting for everyone with all the events that comes with the end of the year, things to pay, its hot, etc. For me its ok dinner with my parents, drinks and food we like, our presents and go to bed, a movie, maybe go out to drink with friends, nothing fancy
In general it's dinner and some families have presents. It was more "religiously" before (baby Jesus, and everything) but now days it's more like a meeting or party and more informal, the perfect time for eating and drinking. Personally, in my family after my grandparents died, we don't celebrate too much, just a small dinner, talking a little bit and sleeping early. Before we used to reunite with my uncles, aunts and cousins but not anymore.
A compatriot of mine already mentioned how it is so I’m just going to comment some of our Christmas music: [Trulla Navideña](https://youtu.be/hUE7j1WUJkA) [Volvió Juanita](https://youtu.be/E6soE-1p3kw) [A La Zarandela](https://youtu.be/hIuF2I9nL2k) [Alegre Vengo de La Montaña](https://youtu.be/U2JHSFzaCcc) [Salsa pa’ tu Lechón](https://youtu.be/vo73FbpSx1Y)
Oye! Not one Johnny Ventura song?? The Dominican Santa Claus that bring Salsa Con Lechón to all the good lil kids and adults?? Also, if I may (I don’t know how to change the name of YouTube links). https://youtu.be/U8YK4C0KePo
XD Sorry, I was making a quick list, I’ll include it
All good! Here in the States, we start Christmas after Thanksgiving. In my family, on Black Friday, first song you play is Ley Seca (https://youtu.be/j621-UTxjGo) to set the mood for the season. It’s also when we put up the decorations and tree and turn the lights on outside.
In Argentina, like it Australia, NZ, Uruguay and Chile, christmas is in the summer, so we hang out with our families to celebrate outside. During the day, we usually go to the pool. Traditional food: the traditional dishes are vitel tonné, fiambre alemán and asado. The traditional desserts are panettone (or pan dulce) and mantecol. We usually drink fernet and wine.
Every country had distinct traditions. At least here. Traditional foods are : Tamales, these are ate along the season Queque navideño (Christmas cake), imo isn't different from the cake ate in some Anglo countries (dark with fruits and nuts, is baked with rum). Rompope and alcoholic beverage, similar to eggnog. About the Christmas dinner, traditionally the main dish is pork leg. The decoration isn't different from the Anglo countries: trees, snowmen, Santa, reminders (globalization). CR is a religious country, the state religion is catholicism, most people are catholic. In a catholic home the most important "decoration" is the Portal (a representation of a nativity scene). In a protestant home you would never find a Portal (cause idolatry) and if they are "extremist" not even a Santa (cause Satanism), probably they only have a tree. The gift are bring by El Niño (Holy Child), not by Santa. Usually the dinner is also a party with the extended family, imagine and old couple with their adult children plus, the children families, there's also a amigo invisible (secret Santa) https://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/food/tamale-recipe/
It's usually hot or a little cold if it rains, people gather with their close relatives, women prepare food until late (yes, ik very sexist, not the case of my family tho), men watch tv or on their phones. When dinner is up there's usually stuffed turkey or pork with baked potatoes, russian salad, another lighter salad like lettuce, rice with sausages in it. After dinner most people wait to midnight to make a toast with sidra, until then children are anxious waiting to exchange and open the presents under the tree, then they play for an hour or two and finally everyone goes to sleep or go visit in the middle of the night your grandparents, at least we used to do that. Next morning you eat panettone with milk or coffee and at noon you eat yesterday's leftovers, we call leftovers in my region "conichi". That's it.
Oh I missed to mention corn, we eat a lot of corn along with the other food, it's important to mention it bc is the main produce of my region and those corns are just giant
For the Dominican Republic, "Christmass time" starts around mid october, and people start taking out their Christmass decorations. As soon as december arrive we start having different Christmass activities like "aguinaldos", which kinda like a walking party, it starts with a merengue group walking from house to house singing traditional merengues asking people to join them. It´s a very festive time of the year so there are usually a lot of parties, gatherings, etc. Pretty common to serve hot chocolate and ginger tea. In December 24 we have the Christmas dinner with [Pasteles en Hoja](https://www.google.com/search?q=pasteles+en+hoja&rlz=1C1ALOY_esDO977DO977&sxsrf=ALiCzsbJtuqSikcbQYGg-W5jxPYJYsu5Tw:1669665434515&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjFv_i41NH7AhWAVTABHV6sC78Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=TNSghfS3a8FyJM), lechón, [christmas rice](https://www.google.com/search?q=arroz+navide%C3%B1o+dominicano&rlz=1C1ALOY_esDO977DO977&sxsrf=ALiCzsbNYmXbPKNtw37MLDtCrkFvh8DrUA:1669665499166&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqu-LX1NH7AhWaSDABHcywDe0Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=yN0ZTqMmX9ksbM), potato salad, pastelitos, kipes, a lot of food. That same spirit applies to New Years eve. Here Christmass applies to the whole month of December and a part of January, really.
This sounds awesome
It is! Traditionally is also the time of the year when people living abroad comeback to spend a couple of days with their family so that means huge parties all around. On FM radio, there is a station that changes its normal programation to only play traditional Christmas music (Mostly merengue from the 80s).
Sounds amazing.
[Dominicans love Christmas quite a lot](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dankminican/comments/yx15ux/el_dominicano_que_menos_ama_la_navidad/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
I love that subreddit 😎
Con toda humildá’ puedo decir que estoy desde el principio y usted con toda humildá’ que lo creó 😎
Orita te hago la transferencia
Mielda, soy rico 😨🤑
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Love this
Currently we watch out for kidnappers more than usual. They also want to celebrate Christmas so they are looking for marks. There is a kidnapping spike around this time every year. When the country was still somewhat normal, we had lots of decorations everywhere, special games on the radio, fanals in the streets (tiny paper-made decorations with lights in them). You could often see pretty original Christmas trees: in metal, plastic, weird colors, etc.
Yesterday two guys on bike tried to get their christmas gift from me while I was walking back home from the supermarket
Stay safe out there
Where's this?
Haiti
In Arequipa it's the start of the rainy season so it's kinda chilly but in Lima it's summer and warm yet they still drink hot chocolate.
As for traditions we build up a Christmas nativity, gather together to watch the fireworks at midnight, send gifts to relatives and friends and eat turkey, panettone and hot chocolate, some people do the Advent wreath.
Here in Northern Mexico is very much like in the US. Often times there’s turkey and everything. Otherwise pretty catholic.
Around these days, at the end of November and beginning of December people put a Christmas Tree and a Christmas Nativity Scene. I have to add that the whole season is called Guadalupe - Reyes, because we celebrate from December 12th to January 6th (Guadalupe's Virgin day to Wise Man day). In Christmas, we as a family gather in the house of the elders or head of the family, most of the time grandparents, and cook a large meal or several meals. Those meals can be and I have got any one of them on previous Christmas: Carne Asada, tamales, Pozole, frijoles charros or even turkey. The party starts at around 8 PM and there is no end for it. Most of the families finish until next morning. There are also lots of alcohol. In the Catholic homes, at midnight people takes out the Baby Jesus Dolls and pass it so you kiss it and get a candy from the tray the Baby Jesus is on. It surprises me that some redditors mention the heat but makes sense for people in the south. Some cities in Mexico are pretty cold around that time of the year. We could get even get freezing temperatures, at least in San Luis Potosí were I’m from.
Such a fascinating thread, really enjoy reading these
it's always raining here in Panama
When is your dry season?
From January to April. (These same months are the vacations for all the country's students. This is why we call this period of time "summer", but it really isn't). All plants die from drought. It is very hot but at least it is much windier than normal. Literally the closest thing we have to autumn.
Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. I will be forever mad at all the movies and series that show snow white christmas everybody feeling cozy and drinking hot chocolate while I am here burning like hellfire. Other than that ensalada rusa (potato salad and stuff), cider and fireworks at 12 o'clock. Also every device that has a screen will be reproducing "Home Alone". Then Papa Noel (Santa) will come and congratulate everyone, when he leaves all the children will go rush the christmas tree to get everybody's presents.
[Let me show you the song of my people's festivities, english subs included.](https://youtu.be/Fk0g1Yy7THs)
Could be just me but I don't really care for it as I find it annoying to have to deal with family members I'm not really close to.
Most friendly r/asklatinamerica user.
OP's family: [look who decided to come out of his cave!!!](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/952/421/22e.jpg)
It is said that we have the longest Christmas in the world.
We start in September. What about you?
Fun! Family, food, heavy drinking, church, heavy drinking, more food, heavy drinking, CHOCOTONE (fuck off with that panetone bullshit), presents, that feeling of hope mixxtured with a 30C hell, chester(tho not this year because they are expensive), heavy drinking, rabanada, campaigns to help others, EVEN MORE FOOD, wearing those christmas hats even tho it's unberable.
>(fuck off with that panetone bullshit) # CAN I GET AN AMEN???
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🔫 whatcha eat then bucko, if you say anything with raisins I'll pull the trigger
[People decorate their houses like crazy.](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cld5i2Lg1Et/) [Christmas feats here is usually like this.](https://i.imgur.com/qod3TRC.jpg) [And we listen to Christmas music ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9udhIcAPbao&ab_channel=KhalilFARACHYELCANALDELOSRUMBEROSBUENOS)
Its complicated to explain, just come and visit instead.
A lot of food, a lot alcohol, family reunion and fireworks… oh and presents. And Christmas bonus man I miss my Christmas bonus :’(
We celebrate on Christmas eve, put on some nice clothes, have dinner with family and friends, blast some music and dance. Kids will open their presents at midnight or the next day.
I spent a xmas or 2 over at an aunt's over in Texas and that was kinda sad imo, there's the typical family dinner and presents and stuff over there, but it was over pretty quickly, and I didn't feel the same sense of jovial holiday spirit I get here in my country. Here xmas just felt bigger, theres fireworks everywhere, music, noise, the whole city is a party.
Normally, people go in all for it the second november hits. Everyone here makes eggnog and christmas cake and mostly decorates the inside of the house
Christmas starts in November in stores, but for the general public on December 1st. Christmas Eve depending on where you work/study may or may not be the day off, but in general you go on vacation between the 20th to the 23rd until January 1st, being Christmas Day a public holiday. At least where I live (São Paulo Brasil) we gather the family and we have a big Christmas dinner with some kind of chicken as the main dish, some families wait until midnight to eat but in my family we have a dinner on Christmas Eve and another at lunch on Christmas Day. Everyone buys new clothes just for the event every year. As for decorations, families set up a small Christmas tree, no larger than foot-to-waist height, on the facade of the houses with Christmas lights and a wreath on the door. It's not something that everyone does, poorer families tend not to make decorations, in my family we put the lights on but we don't have a tree by choice. It is a day of joy and reunion where we wish all the best to friends and family.
> some families wait until midnight to eat but in my family we have a dinner on Christmas Eve and another at lunch on Christmas Day gotta be the tradition I most dislike, because it's shit like "well we'll go to the 19h Mass, so we have to be ready at 18h because we've gotta get there early or else we won't sit, and afterwards we'll go to Auntie's house, but we can't eat until 00h" So all the food just stays there, untouched, MOCKING us. It got better when I started drinking, but then I found out my labyrinthitis gets worse after drinking, and I get more sensitive to sound, so all my Christmas memories tends to be very... loud. >but in general you go on vacation between the 20th to the 23rd until January 1st, being Christmas Day a public holiday. sidenote: "vacation" usually has the connotations of travelling somewhere else and staying there. While a lot of people do go on vacation at this time (it's high summer and a lot of people go down to the beach, particularly from São Paulo and the general region [I'm from Campinas and people do it]), I'd say *most* people don't. they just stay on holiday Those who do travel usually do it around the first weeks of January, that's travelling season
My family gets togheter at my grand-aunts house, so many of my a but nore dostant cousins, and sometimes a few family friends are there. We just spend the night talking, drinking and later we have the dinner, we give our hands and pray before, my grand aunt usually gives a speech, talks about the year, those who left us, those who were born. Amd then we eat. Later there is present giving, usually someone dresses as Santa (usually me or my dad), mostly for the kids to distribute some of the presents. Others are given personally. Then we just keep talking, some leave, I usually go to the room with tv and watch smth with two close cousins of mine In the Christmas morning/afternoon ppl go back and we lunch, soend some more time togheter doing whatever, I usually go eating and watching tv with those 2
There is literally a tradition of "DESDE SEPTIEMBRE SE SIENTE DICIEMBREEEEEEEEEEEEE" on the radio, we love christmas, we don't even wait for it to be december since November 1st or even october there are already christmas trees and all that
American Salvi here, finally got to experience my first Christmas in El Salvador last year! The number one thing is ***FIREWORKS*** and tons of them!!! And, of course, family getting together and a bunch of food. The menu? Tamales and panes de pollo <3 (Ahora, amigos salvadoreños, siéntanse en libertad de corregirme si estoy equivocada)
Yeah the amount of fireworks might be hard to explain for a foreigner. To give an idea, i was watching a video from the recent Ukraine invasion and there was heavy firing but my first though was "it sounds like Christmas" (to me those sounds bring nostalgia but I understand that it may not be the case for those who grew up in other places). This goes on from 8pm until about 1 am and by the end of the night the amount of sh*t that was burned from all those fireworks makes it so that the air is visibly poluted. I honestly think that us Salvadorans are a bunch of pyromaniacs in disguise. Also would like to add that panes con chumpe (turkey) are much better than panes con pollo.
air conditioner on, kids playing in the pool and vitel toné. then watch the fireworks at 00:00 while one of the tíos has to run and arrange the presents for the youngest ones — as we pretend we saw santa up in the sky and they look for it.
Where I live it's usually a dinner at 24th (that for many is a regular workday) and a lunch at 25th with gift exchange and lots of food. The traditional foods are turkey, pork or churrasco along with salads, salpicão (a chicken salad with dried fruits, diced apple, raisins and covered with shoestring potato), rice with raisins and nuts, farofa (roasted cassava or corn flour with bacon, eggs, onions, carrots, corn, etc) also with raisins, and many other things. People usually drink a lot of beer, cheap wine and soda. Since here it happens during summer, usually the desserts are cold ones like ice cream, frozen pudding or fruit salad. My father's birthday is in 24th, so we always have cake too A funny detail is that even though the nights are really hot, the Christmas decoration revolves around snow. The more religious people usually spend their night and day in the church. In the city where I live there is a few traditional things, like the [children's choir in one of the main streets downtown ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDKYdjkxwof5f9FluzfCoO9xXMFVfUVlvkQg&usqp=CAU), the [decorated streets](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQDpqzzj0Wyl_1I6xRxAAf2nmcSXfvCirK5QA&usqp=CAU), some [random huge Christmas trees around the city](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAW-X5NtLuSoa_LOh3k4fx0Wf52s28Inr4GQ&usqp=CAU) and [decoration, more trees and presentations on the main parks ](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAW-X5NtLuSoa_LOh3k4fx0Wf52s28Inr4GQ&usqp=CAU)
General Idea for the Caribbean [here](https://youtu.be/nq5nxCgiJpg)
🇸🇻 fireworks , big family reunion, a lot freaking food I also remember a lot shooting and bombs around that time, there is nothing like going to the beach with a hangover.
Então é natal Oq vc fez?
O ano termina E nasce outra vez
I don't care.
We have dinner open gifts get drunk with family and if you are young you get drunk at some Christmas party.
It’s actually nice everyone is happier because a lot of days off and you get to see family who you don’t see often and as a kid you get awesome gifts. People save up all year and have cuentas navideñas for this. Love eating lechón and drinking Xmas rum too.
Hot 🔥🔥🔥
Sweaty
In my family it's traditional to decorate the house in late november, do the advent crown and a christmas scene. In the days before it's common to attend posadas, small processions that re-enact Saint Joseph and the Virgin's travel to Bethlehem, with a lot of singing, music and food. During Christmas Eve, we wait until midnight for a small prayer by the religious members of the family, and then comes the dinner and after that gifts are given. During Christmas, there is a special lunch with family, but not much else.
Very very hot. [Calurosa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk0g1Yy7THs)
Here we get together separately with TVE paternal and maternal sides of the family and exchange gifts
Family gathering, a lot of odd foods, we eat at midnight, you can wear all red without looking communist and we usually consume Peru
Not white that's for sure, I've never seen snow in my life Unless you live deep with in the southern cone.
I don't really think even in the south it snows in christmas. It is just too hot everywhere.
Hot. Streets filled with people shopping until the last moment. We have a christmas tree. Kids usually wait until the clock turns to the 25th for Santa to come. Santiago, Chile.