Feliz Natal: What makes a South American Christmas?

When most people think Christmas, they think snow, hot chocolate, and a fire. Even here in Australia where its 30 degrees and our beverage of choice is a slushie, snow still seems to go hand in hand with Christmas.

But what about other countries stuck in that weird land of ‘we celebrate Christmas because everyone else does but its not snowing here’? I’ve seen how Europe celebrates Christmas (mulled wine and Christmas markets), and the U.S (diabetic style hot chocolate with whipped cream and ice skating), and Australia (mango, pavlova, and the beach).

But South America is stuck between that weird place between the U.S with its hot chocolate and the tropical Christmas we celebrate here in Australia.

For starters when it’s snowing in the U.S, South America is sweating out the summer.

So what makes a South American Christmas? Well its hot so fruit, flip flops, and air conditioning. But in South America Christmas has a stronger focus on family and is marked as a religious celebration more than it is here in Australia.

As Christianity was brought to South American countries by their European colonisers, the birth of Jesus is a focal point of the Christmas celebration but is fused with pagan traditions like chanting, bon fires, and dancing.

By: Taylor-Jayne Wilkshire

Source: no source

Image: foter.com