Latin America's ChristmasLatin America is defined as all those parts of the Americas that were once part of the Spanish and Portuguese Empires including Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico
The traditions vary according to Spanish, Portuguese or French influences together with the North American culture of the US Christmas Eve is known in Spanish as La Noche Buena, meaning 'the good night' Christmas Eve is known in Portuguese as Véspera de Natal Christmas Eve is celebrated by staying up until midnight when gifts and presents are opened Many of the countries adhere to the Roman Catholic religion where Christmas is an extremely important religious festival Scenes of the Nativity are popular. Retablos are a folk art in the form of paintings on various materials which depict religious scenes and events. Retablos came to the New World as small painted portable altars. These and painted Nativity scenes were used by the early priests to convert the Indigenous population. Religious Processions and parades are strongly featured in the countries Festivities include Christmas lights, gift giving, trees, candles, decorations, parties and firework displays Turron is a nougat desert made of honey, sugar and egg white which is topped with toasted almonds and popular throughout Latin America Christmas Traditions in Latin America Latin American Christmas Vocabulary How do you say Merry Christmas in the countries of Latin America? If you have friends or family who live, or have ties with, a different country it is a nice gesture to add a seasons greetings in the language of the country. A practical addition to learning about Christmas traditions in Latin America: How do you say Merry Christmas or Santa Claus in Latin American? In parts of Latin America, the gift bringer is called El Nino Jesus, "the infant Jesus." Santo Clós (Santa Claus) - Niño Dios - Los Reyes Magos ("The Wise Men") |
United States of America ChristmasThe United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people in celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature. Many customs are similar to ones in the UK, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Mexico.
The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favour turkey with trimmings, keilbasi (a Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagne! Some Americans use pop-corn threaded on string to help decorate their Christmas Tree! In New England (the American States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine), there are shops called 'Christmas Shops' that only sell Christmas decorations and toys all the year round! People in America like to decorate the outsides of their houses with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen and Reindeer. Towns and cities often decorate the streets with lights to celebrate Christmas. Perhaps the most famous Christmas street lights in the USA are at the Rockerfeller Center in New York where there is a huge Christmas Tree with a public ice skating rink in front of it over Christmas and the New Year. In Hawaii, Santa is called Kanakaloka! Customs such as Mumming take place in some communities. On New Year's Day in Philadelphia there is a Mummer's Day parade which lasts over six hours! Clubs called "New Years Associations" perform in amazing costumes which take months to make. There are four categories (Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades) which are judged. In the Southwest USA, there are some special customs which have some similarities to those in parts of Mexico. These include 'luminarias' or 'farolitos' which are paper sacks partly filled with sand and then have a candle put in them. They are lit on Christmas Eve and are put the edges of paths. They represent 'lighting the way' for somewhere for Mary and Joseph to stay. |