CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN LATIN AMERICA

1
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN LATIN AMERICA
2
The Christmas holiday season is extremely
important in Latin American countries, where up
to 90 of the population practices Christianity.
3
Christmas in Latin America is known
as Las Posadas or Navidad. It is celebrated
throughout the region with special customs,
holiday cuisine, religious services, and family
gatherings.
4
Many traditional ways of celebrating this
religious holiday come from Spain, as well as
from influences from the United States.
5
Lets take a trip through
Latin America at the Christmas
season. Can you find similarities in traditions
from country to country?
6
CHRISTMAS IN PUERTO RICO
7
(No Transcript)
8
Puerto Ricans celebrate Christmas in a very
unique way.   Christmas begins right after
Thanksgiving, starting to put up our trees on
the Friday after Thanksgiving. 
9
We light our trees and decorate our houses and
prepare scenes of the Nativity.
10
After December 1st, we go house to house
giving trullas with music. 
11
This is done for food and beverages.  It is
like having a party from house to house.  Once
it begins it may last till the morning of the
next day. 
12
Our Three Kings Day celebration is the most
traditional. 
13
Children put boxes with grass under their beds
on the night of January 5th.  (The grass is
for the Three King's camels.)  The Three
King's bring gifts or presents which they leave
under the childrens bed.
14
After Three King's Day, we celebrate the
"octavitas which made up a total of 24
additional days to Christmas.  Christmas used
to last till February, except now parents have to
go back to work and children back to school.
15
CHRISTMAS IN CUBA
16
(No Transcript)
17
The most festive time during the holidays is
nochebuena ("good night") or Christmas Eve
A traditional meal consists of roast pork, black
beans served over rice, fried mashed plantains.
18
The extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins,
grandparents, and seemingly every imaginable
living relative, gets together to feast
and dance to Cuban music. This is
followed by everyone attending midnight mass
together.
19
Midnight Mass or Missa do Galo (a galo is a
rooster) takes its name because the rooster
announces the coming of the day. Missa do
Galo finishes at 1 AM on Christmas morning!
20
CHRISTMAS IN NICARGUA
21
(No Transcript)
22
Like many Latin American countries, Nicaragua
retains many of its customs from Spain.
23
In the weeks leading up to Christmas people
stroll the streets where there are many things to
buy candles, Nativity pictures, toys and
foods.
24
Tables are decorated with poinsettias, (named
after the former United States ambassador to
Mexico, Joel Roberto Poinsett.)
The flower was discovered in Mexico and has
become the symbol of Christmas throughout the
world.
25
On Christmas Eve, church bells beckon the people
to Midnight Mass.
26
Often the Holiday season concludes with a
brilliant display of fireworks.
27
CHRISTMAS IN EL SALVADOR
28
(No Transcript)
29
A tradition in El Salvador is to place the baby
Jesus figure in the Nativity Scene only on
Christmas Eve, even when the Nativity Scene may
be set under the tree a month before.
30
At about 7 PM, friends and family members start
showing up at each others houses. By this time
your ears are already used to the many BOOMs and
BANGs from the noisy fireworks, that children
start lighting up in the evening.
31
At midnight all the families count the seconds
down to 12 when they hug and wish each other a
Merry Christmas. Also some families practice
a Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at each
second before midnight, making a wish for every
grape eaten.
32
CHRISTMAS IN COLOMBIA
33
(No Transcript)
34
The Christmas season in Colombia starts on
December 7th when families light candles in
honor of the Christs mother, Mary.
35
December 8th is a Colombian National Holiday,
celebrated with a display of lights as each home
will light hundreds of candles on the curb and
sidewalk area.City streets and parks are
illuminated with lights as well.
36
Christmas Eve is filled with a spirit of cheering
and rejoicing. Family, friends and
neighbors, gather to dance and eat the
traditional Colombian Natilla, a corn pie.
37
CHRISTMAS IN VENEZUELA
38
(No Transcript)
39
The Christmas season begins in Venezuela on
December 16th when families bring out their
presebres (manger scenes) and display them in the
most prominent part of the living room.
40
Venezuelan presebres range from the traditional
depictions of the nativity scene to some bigger
displays that combine modern-day electric trains
and boats on the sea, along with the shepherds,
kings, and the Christ child.
41
Traditionally, "El Niño Jesus", the Christ
Child is the one who brings gifts.Children
get up on Christmas morning and find gifts at the
foot of their beds.
42
CHRISTMAS IN ECUADAOR
43
(No Transcript)
44
Processions, accompanied by musicians, work their
way through the streets in the days before
Christmas. On the last Sunday, food is
delivered to the elderly as a way to honor the
Magi who brought gifts to the Infant Jesus.
45
People who live in the mountains dress in their
finest clothes and ride brightly arrayed llamas
down to the ranches and villages
46
Families bring gifts of fruit and breads to the
village presebre and children often make speeches
to the Christ Child, asking for blessings upon
their family and their livestock.
47

A huge outdoor fiesta will take place (remember,
it's summertime in December in Ecuador).
48
CHRISTMAS IN PERU
49
(No Transcript)
50
Manger scenes in Peru are often carved from wood
by members of the Quechua tribe. The
figures are usually wearing clothing
styles from the time of the
conquistadors, however
51
Christmas Day festivities in the capital, Lima,
are highlighted by a bullfight and a huge
procession through the streets
52
CHRISTMAS IN CHILE
53
(No Transcript)
54
In Chile, the children keep a watch for Viejo
Pascuero, or Old Man Christmas. He looks
very much like Santa Claus and he also arrives
with a team of reindeer (which is quite unusual)
55
The chimneys on the homes are quite small in this
warm climate, therefore Viejo Pascuero climbs
through a window with his gifts.
56
CHRISTMAS IN ARGENTINA
57
(No Transcript)
58
During the month of December, Argentineans
drink iced beverages and stay in
air-conditioned spaces o help keep cool. In
some homes evergreen trees are decorated with
cotton to simulate the snow found on the trees in
the forests of the Northern Hemisphere.
59
Christmas dinner is usually a suckling pig or
even a roasted peacock, decorated with some of
its own brilliant plumage, served in the center
of the dining table.
60
On the eve of January 6th, children in Argentina
place their shoes underneath the Christmas
tree or beside their beds. They also leave
hay and water outside their house
for the horses of the Magi who bring
them their gifts.
61
CHRISTMAS IN BRAZIL
62
(No Transcript)
63
Brazilians are a mix of people from many parts of
the world, and as a former Portuguese colony,
they have many Christmas customs which originate
from this heritage.
64
One tradition they share in common with their
Spanish-speaking neighbors is to create a
nativity scene or Presépio. (The word comes
from the Hebrew word "presepium" which means a
bed of straw for animals to sleep upon.)
65
Papai Noel (Father Noel) is the gift-bringer in
Brazil. According to legend, he lives in
Greenland and travels around the earth to deliver
gifts to children.
66
The Journeys Over! Were back home again! Did
you find any similarities between Latin
American traditions? Any common customs to how
some people in the United States celebrate this
holiday?
67
Created for Edmond Public Schools