Christmas in Chile
Wherever you and your family spend Christmas around the world, it is sure to be a holiday filled with unique and special ideas from Christmas traditions around the world. A fun and educational project for you and your family to participate in over the holidays might be to see how different countries celebrate Christmas around the world.
The Christmas traditions around the world are a great mix of legend, cultural feasts and festivities. Wherever you and your family may celebrate Christmas around the world it is sure to be a joyous occasion full of fun and magic.
Like most countries Christmas in Chile is centered around the church and family. In Chile they observe the novena which is nine days of prayer and fasting before Christmas.
The children watch for Old Man Christmas (Viejo Pascuero) who looks similar to Santa Claus and also drives a team of reindeer, but instead of climbing down the chimney climbs through the window with gifts (as the chimneys are smaller due to hot weather).
Christmas Eve dinner is usually eaten after midnight mass (Misa del Gallo) and includes turkey, seafood, salads, olives and local Chilean wines. Desert is Pan de Pascya (a sweet Christmas bread) along with fruit, cake and cookies.
In Chile similar to many a Christmas around the world, Christmas Day is reserved for family with the days following Christmas being for visiting with friends and neighbors.
