what is the spanish word for santa claus

In Bolivia, there is no Christmas without picana navideña, a slow-cooked soup/stew with several types of meat, beer, wine, potato and corn! In Chile, a Christmas without pan de Pascua (traditional cake) and cola de Mono (a drink made from aguardiente, coffee, cinnamon and milk) would feel incomplete! Spanish-speaking cultures truly promise mouthwatering dishes on Christmas Day, and you can start here if you'd like to explore culinary differences. Surprised? In Paraguay, temperatures can reach 40 degrees around Christmas time, and in Chile or Costa Rica Christmas might be celebrated by going to the beach! Food and drinks.Īrgentina celebrates Christmas with dishes such as vitel toné (slices of veal served with a special cream), several types of sandwiches, a barbecue or stuffed tomatoes and salads, which are appropriate for a warm Christmas weather. In fact, most Latin Americans would probably associate Christmas with starry nights, warm temperatures, flowers in bloom and outdoor activities, from roller skating in Venezuela to posada processions in Mexico!

The vast majority of Spanish-speaking countries does not associate Christmas with a warm mug of hot chocolate, a cozy fireplace, warm scarves or snow. In Spain, Mexico and Colombia, December 28th ( Dia de los Inocentes, 'Day of the Innocent') is an extension of Christmas celebrations in which people celebrate jokes, fun and pranks - think of it as April Fools' Day! The weather. In Spain and Bolivia, however, most children will hang their stocking under the tree on January 5th and open their gifts on January 6th!Īdditionally, Christmas celebrations might extend until December 26th in some autonomous regions of Spain, such as Catalunya, in which Saint Stephen's Day is celebrated and families meet again to eat together. In Venezuela, Mexico or Guatemala main gifts are opened at midnight on Christmas Eve.

You might even be surprised to know that not every Spanish-speaking country exchanges gifts on the same day. Generally, families meet on December 24th for a family meal and then again on the 25th for an epic lunch! But what changes from country to country? Dates.Īre you a true Christmas enthusiast? Do you dislike waiting for the end of the month to celebrate? You might want to spend it in Venezuela.where local festivities and gatherings happen on the very first days of December! Or what about Mexico, in which Christmas is celebrated from December 12th to January 6th? Spanish-speaking countries typically celebrate in ways that are to be expected during Christmas: by putting up an ornamented tree, exchanging cards and presents, attending Mass in church and eating lots of delicious food, from hearty meals to decadent desserts. It is therefore unsurprising that Christmas is celebrated with passion, dedication and lots of fun activities for children and adults alike! Even families or individuals who do not practice the religion tend to come together and enjoy the occasion. How is Christmas celebrated in Spanish-speaking countries?Ĭhristianity is deep-seated in both Spanish and Latin American cultures. Paraguay would also use its very own language apart from Spanish, Guarani, to wish you ' Vy’apavê Arareñoire'! In Mexico you could hear the Nahuatl ' Cualli netlācatilizpan' or the Maya ' Ki'imak navidad'. For instance, in certain regions of Spain you could hear the Catalan ' Bon Nadal', the Galician ' Bo Nadal' or the Basque ' Eguberri on'. Keep in mind that in some cases local languages might also be used to wish somebody a Merry Christmas. It literally means 'happy parties'! These expressions are valid in every Spanish-speaking country, so you will be understood both in Spain and in Latin America. If you'd like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year all at once, use '¡ Felices fiestas!' instead. To wish somebody a Merry Christmas, use '¡ Feliz Navidad!'. The word for Christmas Eve would be ' Nochebuena', which literally means 'the good night'.

The word for Christmas in Spanish is ' Navidad'. Get ready for your Christmas celebrations with this short guide to Christmas in Spanish-speaking countries and our list of top 10+ words you can't do without. Celebrating Christmas and learning Spanish at the same time?

What is the spanish word for santa claus