In a diverse country such as Colombia, you will find different kinds of weather according to the region you are visiting, different dishes, different dialects (over 70 dialects) and diverse traditions of observing a holiday such as Christmas.

Religious Influence

Christmas in Colombia is a fun celebration that gathers the family with the community, as there is a sense of sharing with the community during the Christmas seasons. That sense of sharing has its roots in the Catholic Church, since the Catholic community has made a lasting mark in Colombia history from the colonization of the Spaniards five hundred years ago.

There is a lot to talk about the Christmas in Colombia; although there are traditions that rule the celebration, there are some variations across the territory. No matter where you are traveling in the country you will see customs such as the letter to El Niño Dios (Transl. Baby God, or Baby Jesus, there the equivalent to Santa Claus) or the Aguinaldos, which are an exchange of gifts between family members or friends. For the children who believe in El Niño Dios, they receive their best gift on the 25^th and not earlier because they expect to see the gifts they wanted most brought by El Niño Dios.

Decorations

Today, Christmas is more colorful than ever; many capital cities invest in decorating the city with regional themes, mix international traditions such as lighting a Christmas Tree (something that wasn't done until the late 90's) in public places or the children taking a photo with Santa Claus (a tradition that started in Bogota eight years ago in a shopping mall). Things weren´t done before due to strong religious beliefs, but now people are more open and celebrate different holiday traditions with more respect than years before.

Food

But what are those traditions you will find unique to Colombia? To start, the first tradition is linked to the table; yes, we can’t speak about traditions, if we don’t mention the typical dishes that are served on Christmas Eve. The most well known is the Natilla Dessert, which is a dish made of eggs, milk and sugar, served mostly in the Central Region. Another dessert is El Tres Leches (Transl. Tree Milk Dessert) which a dessert made of milk and sugar, and is really popular among with children due to the sweet flavor and the jelly texture.

Christmas Festivities

On December 7^th is The Day of the Candles; the day according the Catholic tradition commemorating the mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary. People go out and light candles in the street; one week and a day after The Day of Candles, the eve of Christmas starts with Las Novenas. They are meetings that people do at different houses, to commemorate the nine days before Jesus was born; people gather, pray and feast together. These meetings are held in different places for nine consecutive days; hence the name Novenas, which is the feminine form of nine (novenus).

One tradition that is new is the Christmas Tree, there is not an exact date when it was brought for the very first time. Some historians speculate it was around the 60’s with the rising of Protestant Churches around the territory, and the custom was incorporated with old traditions. The Christmas Tree is new in Colombia, the original tradition was to make nativity scenes, a small scale model which represents the journey of Mary and Joseph to Belen until the nativity of Jesus.

Fireworks are prohibited in the territory, no one can sell them or ignite them unless they have a professional license. That ban is because many people were burned during the festivities and the Government imposed it to avoid any tragediesan what was supposed to be a happy time for everyone.

Families gather around the 24^th to have a family meal, something traditional that blends with an American tradition. They eat turkey as if it were Thanksgiving; the theory is similar to Thanksgiving as people are with their families and enjoy a happy time together. They give thanks for everything good that happened that year. Families finish with the meal on the 24^th and they go and have gift exchanges before waiting for Christmas day.

Christmas, as are many other holidays, are days to spend with family, friends and loved ones. It is a time to reflect on the many blessings and gifts you've enjoyed throught the year. What are some of your unique Christmas traditions?