Christmas in Venezuela
In Venezuela Christmas is celebrated as a religious holiday. As in Colombia, the presents are brought by “El Niño Jesus” (Baby Jesus) instead of “Papá Noél” (Santa Claus), that still has an important role during this season.
The unofficial start of the Christmas festivities is after the celebrations of “Feria de la Chinita”, second half of November. The origin of this festivity is the cult to Virgin Mary of Chiquinquirá, when various religious activities, processions, and music festivals with the typical “Gaita (music style)” to honor “La Chinita” (nickname of this Virgin). This event takes place in the Zulia Region, specially in Maracaibo (the regional capital). After this festivity, the Christmas Spirit is every where and many activities take place including musical events of Gaita (music style), firework displays, and many other events planned by other cities across the country.
In many cities, small rural towns and neighborhoods get together for the “patinatas” night festivals where kids go and play with skateboards, roller blades and bicycles. This events are usually sponsor by the local church, and in there neighbors organize themselves and sell typical Christmas food, hot chocolate, hallaca, cookies, etc.
The night of Christmas Eve (Dec 24th) Churches offer nightly masses called “Misa de Gallo” (Rooster’s Mass) at midnight.
Christmas Eve is the most important day of Christmas. Families and friends get together to have typical dinner made up with hallaca (traditional Christmas food heritage from the Indians), pan de jamón (jam bread), etc. parties go on till sunrise on Christmas Day,
Usually (but this depends on the region, family, etc) kids go to bed, and on the next day Baby Jesus (Niño Jesus) delivers the presents. December 25 is less on celebration.
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