Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society.
Las Posadas is a novenario. It is celebrated chiefly in Latin America, El Salvador,Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and by Latin Americans in the United States. It is typically celebrated each year between December 16 and December 24. Latin American countries have continued to celebrate the holiday, with very few changes to the tradition.
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, 31 December. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinking, and watching or lighting fireworks. Some Christians attend a watchnight service. The celebrations generally go on past midnight into New Year's Day, 1 January.
Puerto Rican cuisine consists of the cooking style and traditional dishes original to Puerto Rico. It has been primarily influenced by the ancestors of the Puerto Rican people: the indigenous Taínos, Spanish colonizers, and sub-Saharan African slaves. As a territory of the United States, the culinary scene of Puerto Rico has also been moderately influenced by American cuisine.
Christmas is one of the biggest holidays in the Philippines. As one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia, the Philippines celebrates the world's longest Christmas season ; Christmas music is played as early as August. The holiday season gradually begins by September, reaching its peak in December during Christmastide, and concludes within the week after New Year's Day, more specifically on the Sunday of Epiphany; however, festivities could last until the third Sunday of January, the feast day of the Santo Niño de Cebú. Liturgically, the Christmas season is observed by the Catholic Church in the Philippines from Christmas Day to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration ; in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday.
A buñuelo (Spanish:[buˈɲwelo], alternatively called boñuelo, bimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, bumuelo, burmuelo, or bonuelo, is a fried dough fritter found in Spain, Latin America, and other regions with a historical connection to Spaniards, including Southwest Europe, the Balkans, Anatolia, and other parts of Asia and North Africa. Buñuelos are traditionally prepared at Christmas. It will usually have a filling or a topping. In Mexican cuisine, it is often served with a syrup made with piloncillo.
Colombian cuisine is a compound of the culinary traditions of the six main regions within Colombia. Colombian cuisine varies regionally and is particularly influenced by Indigenous Colombian, Spanish, and African cuisines, with slight Arab influence in some regions. As one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, Colombia has one of the widest variety of available ingredients depending on the region.
"Feliz Navidad" is a Christmas song written and first recorded in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple, heartfelt lyrics - the traditional Spanish Christmas/New Year greeting "Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad", followed by text in English words "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart" - it has become a Christmas classic and has gained popularity around the world.
A parol is a Filipino ornamental lantern displayed during the Christmas season. Parols are traditionally constructed using bamboo and Japanese paper, and are illuminated with candles, oil lamps, or carbide lamps. Modern parols can be made using other materials such as plastic, metal, and capiz shells and are usually illuminated with electric lighting. Its most-common form is a five-pointed star, although it can come in various shapes and sizes. Large disc-shaped electronic versions of parols produced in Pampanga are known as "parul sampernandu", the phonetic spelling of parol San Fernando, owing to the city where these lanterns are a major product.
Little Candles Day or Immaculate Conception Eve is a widely observed religious holiday in Colombia. It is celebrated on December 7 on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, which is a public holiday in Colombia. This day is the unofficial start of the Christmas season in the country, although the official day is the First Advent Sunday.
Natillas is a term in Spanish for a variety of custards and similar delicacies in the Spanish-speaking world. In Spain, this term refers to a custard dish made with milk and eggs, similar to other European creams as crème anglaise. In Colombia, the delicacy does not include eggs, and is called natilla.
"El Burrito de Belén" or "El Burrito Sabanero" is an aguinaldo from Venezuela. It was written by Hugo Blanco for the 1972 Christmas season. The song was first recorded by the Venezuelan folk singer Simón Díaz, included on his record, Las Gaitas de Simon where he was accompanied by the Venezuelan Children's Choir. Later, the children's musical group La Rondallita recorded the song in November 1972. This latest version gained popularity in Latin America. It has since been recorded many times by popular artists.
Christmas in Iceland (Jól) starts four weeks before proper Christmas, which begins on 24 December (Aðfangadagur) and ends thirteen days later on 6 January (Epiphany).
Christmas in Mexico is observed from December 12 to January 6, with one additional celebration on February 2. Traditional decorations displayed on this holiday include nativity scenes, poinsettias, and Christmas trees. The season begins with celebrations related to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Patroness of Mexico, followed by traditions such as Las Posadas and Pastorelas.
Novena of aguinaldos, also known as the novena to Baby Jesus, is a novena held during the time leading up to Christmas from December 16 to December 24. The novena of aguinaldos is commonly celebrated by Catholics in Colombia, as well as parts of Ecuador and Venezuela. During each night of the novena, families and friends pray, eat, and sing villancicos together, often accompanied by musical instruments.
Christmas lights in Medellín, known in Spanish simply as the "Lighting" or more officially the EPM Lights, is a traditional seasonal event in Medellín, Colombia, where the city hangs millions of Christmas lights and holds light shows and other cultural events. Since the 1990s, the main locations of the lights have been on and around the Medellín River and La Playa Avenue, although the event has expanded to include over one hundred other locations around the city. The event usually lasts from the beginning of December until the beginning of January, and the lights are designed and sponsored by Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), the city's public utilities company.
Milagros de Navidad is an American anthology television series that premiered on Telemundo on 27 November 2017, and concluded on 22 December 2017. The series is composed of independent chapters that have as a thread the conflicts that Latin immigrants live in the United States during the Christmas season.
A Not So Merry Christmas is a 2022 Mexican Christmas fantasy comedy film directed by Mark Alazraki and written by Alazraki, Juan Carlos Garzón & Angélica Gudiño. Starring Mauricio Ochmann. It is a remake of the 2020 Brazilian film Just Another Christmas. It premiered worldwide on December 20, 2022, on Netflix
