What are the common traditions in your family? Have you kept up with them or have you started new ones? Traditions are things that for some families hold them together and look forward to them every year. It almost becomes mandatory for family members to show up to yearly traditions in order to keep the family together. Each Latin American country has a different tradition which makes them unique, but here are some of the most popular traditions in the Latino culture.
December 24
The Christmas Eve’s family dinner (la cena de nochebuena) is celebrated with close family and friends and each country has its own special dish because food plays a very important role during this celebration.
Midnight Mass (la misa de gallo) is a special mass that is celebrated at midnight and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
January 6
This date is know as The Three Kings Day (los reyes magos) where the three kings present gifts to Jesus of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The gold represents Jesus’ royal standing, the frankincense defines the baby’s existence, and the myrrh represents the cleansing humanity of sins (take away the sins).
Celebrations all season long
Christmas Carols (los villancicos de navidad): beginning right after Black Friday, retail stores, radios, and people are playing Christmas music and some people take it one step further and go around the neighborhood to sing. What makes Christmas carols special are that each country has their own songs to celebrate Christmas.
The Nativity Scene (el nacimiento) contains baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men, The Virgin Mary, Joseph, an angel, and the Shepards. It is commonly sits below the Christmas tree and there is not one definite answer of who was there. The only thing that proves it happened was the star that shined above it and it glowed day and night.
Decorate with poinsettia flowers (decorar con pascuas) simply add the Christmas touch to many homes and offices.
What makes Christmas so unique is the way that each culture celebrates it. With everyone celebrating it in their own way, families, friends and memories are made. Christmas is a celebration, one that will last for many more years to come. Why? Because it brings people together and cherishing those special times together.
What is your holiday tradition with your family? Post it on our Facebook wall or Tweet us @latintrends2010 and #IamLatinTRENDing.
