Christmas in Colombia

Traditional decorations displayed on this holiday include nativity scenes, poinsettias, Christmas trees, and candles.

[1][2] Christmas traditions incorporate remains of Basque heritage practices, this being even more marked in Antioquia and its surrounding departments.

[3][4] The activities of the market begin at the end of November, with the sale of trees, clothes, garlands, Christmas flowers, lights and pyrotechnics, as well as the popular mixture for custard, a typical Colombian Christmas dish,[5] Good night is celebrated with the popular chocolate parties, the latter are events held in residential areas as a form of coexistence between neighbors where traditional foods of the time are shared such as fritters, custard, chocolate and bonus bread, the front parts of the houses are usually decorated with lights, and typical flowers and the lower part of the trees are usually decorated with mangers simulating the birth of Jesus Christ.

On this night, people place candles and paper lanterns on windowsills, balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, parks, and squares; In short, they can be seen everywhere, in honor of the Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Conception.

[10] After the novena, traditional Christmas dishes are served such as buñuelos, natilla, empanadas, hot chocolate, and sabajón, which is a Colombian-style spiked eggnog.