CHRISTMAS IN ARGENTINA, CHILE, PERU, AND COLOMBIA

December 25, 2017 SouthAmerica

Christmas is that wonderful time of the year when families get together, and usually celebrate this holiday with a delicious dinner. We were lucky enough to be in four different countries during Christmas time, and we can share how each country celebrates Christmas, what they have in common, and what is different amongst them. In general South American countries celebrate Christmas as a Catholic tradition; it all starts with the famous Misa de Gallo on December 24^th in celebration of baby Jesus´s birth, this is known as Nochebuena.

Later on the Christmas tree tradition was added along with the decorations. All South American countries decorate a Christmas tree, but these are typically fake, made of plastic. The pine tree is not something that is found easily in the equatorial northern Andes!

During Christmas Mexico brings out the mole sauce, and we all have Mexico to thank for the Poinsettia, which by the way grow year round in Mexico. In Colombia, the preferred Navidad meal includes tamales and roasted pig, in Peru and Chile dinner includes turkey and side dishes, and then afterwards people exchange gifts.

Argentina

We traveled to Argentina in 2013 a week before Christmas day and we didn´t see many decorations in Buenos Aires. The malls as usual have Christmas trees decorated and the stores were full with people. It is not hard to understand why there was not much celebration in Argentina, you could feel their financial burden, unemployment, and the economic crisis was shown throughout the city. Nobody could blame them; there was not much to celebrate. We got to enjoy nice dinners in Buenos Aires with their well-known asados de carne (roasted meat over an outdoor fire) accompanied by Argentinian wine. In Argentina they celebrate Christmas on December 24^th celebrated with family, and on Christmas Day people get to relax and spend more time with family members, while enjoying a nice weather.

Chile

In Chile little decor is presented outwards, but certainly the shopping malls are full of decorations including giant Christmas trees with ornaments and gifts to give people the idea to buy more perhaps. The malls and stores are chaotic in Chile and Peru. This is also a time when people become more aware of robberies. We spent two Christmases in Chile, the first year on 2012 we got to travel to southern Chile and we had a reservation at the Hotel Termas Puyehue. Our son Owen experienced a horseback ride with El Viejito Pascuero (Chilean version of Santa Claus). The hotel was grand, it offers different activities to entertain the entire family. For more on our first Christmas in Chile check my book Upside Down in Chile.

Chile has warped the event reinventing Santa Claus, which in most of Latin America is known as Papa Noel, by calling him Viejito Pascuero, who comes into the homes through a window, very much like in Europe; this is the reason why you supposed to leave one window open. In most of South America Pascua refers to the Easter week, however, in Chile they use the same term for the week of Christmas.

Peru

People decorate the houses; they spend more time preparing the “pesebre” or Christmas nativity scene. There are special figurines representing the different animals besides the donkey and bull, you can find sheep, goats, and chickens along with many shepherds in different clothes that are carrying animals on their backs. This decoration starts days before Christmas Eve; we use a special green paper and fresh moss to make the nativity scene more real. We had everybody, Joseph, Mary, and the animals, but Jesus is introduced to the nativity scene on Christmas Eve at midnight. Then on January 6^th we introduce the Reyes Magos- the three Wise men. Usually we have sparklers to celebrate Jesus´s birth. We also have Christmas trees, and these come in different sizes and colors. We used to have glass ornaments before plastic took over the world. Every tree was topped with the Bethlehem Star to guide the Wise men to where Jesus was born. When I was growing up in Peru there were not much decorations outside the houses, it was mostly done indoors. In Huancayo we had the fair or feria navideña with all the different decorations available, this fair was getting bigger every year.

The radio stations play the popular “villancicos”, the children perform different activities at school in celebration of the season, and the stores also have Christmas music turning the celebration into a big event with all sharing the Christmas spirit. Also there is a heavy traffic and stress in the cities, these thanks to “marketing” done by the stores, TV commercials, signs on the streets– they all push you to spend money and buy more. We have to remember that not everybody has money to spend during Christmas and this is the reason why lots of robberies happen during this time; pickpockets, broken cars, home break-in´s. The pressure imposed by retailers only wanting to make more money turned this holiday into chaos. Things were better when all we wanted to celebrate was a time of peace, love, and togetherness.

Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena, is a family celebration. At midnight hugs and kisses are exchanged, followed by a nice dinner that includes turkey. The most popular side dishes are apple sauce, potatoes, rice, and salad depending on what people like. The kids are allowed to open the presents that Papa Noel brought for them after dinner, as well the other family members. It is tradition to eat fruit cake called paneton, the preferable brand is D’onofrio. The paneton is best enjoyed while sipping hot chocolate, but not just any chocolate- it has always been “Chocolate del Cusco”. Christmas day is time to rest and have more paneton con chocolate, this apparently was introduced to Peru by Italian immigrants, plus people will enjoy the delicious leftovers through the day.

Colombia

Colombia is the best country you can visit for extraordinary Christmas decorations, the most colorful and decorated. It goes on in many different cities and towns. Colombians really show their Christmas spirit, most of the houses are tastefully adorned. The town of Jericó in the Antioquia Department has balconies and doors decorated in a very artistic way. This is not hard to do because the town itself is very clean the city enforces fines for not maintaining buildings in a nicely painted style. There was this one street in particular who had the most colonial balconies and they all were decorated. The people are friendly and they seem content. Several stores in Medellin specialize in selling Christmas decorations and trees. But even the small houses along the side of the highway, and little mountain towns, have their decorations up. This city was impressive again with how clean it looks, and how people seem to be hit with the Christmas rush but somehow manage to not be taken by the stress of the season.

The trimmings are not the only presentation marking Navidad, the Plaza de Armas of Jerico is decorated in lights, featuring large framed-out candy canes, presents, and other decorations. The Christmas lights were even festooned across the large church, outlining its towers and windows. Christmas in Colombia is festive and the best place to appreciate this season in South America thanks to the people who make of this celebration a time full with peace and joy.