Bolivia's Christmas Cheer: Traditions And Celebrations

Christmas in Bolivia is a unique and special time, with a mixture of Catholic and indigenous traditions. The holiday is celebrated from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany on 6 January, with the most important day being Christmas Eve. On this day, there is a religious procession through the streets, with men carrying a heavy altar bearing a statue of Jesus Christ. This is followed by the Midnight Mass, or 'Misa de Gallo' (Mass of the Rooster), with thousands of people attending. After the Mass, families sit down to a feast of 'picana', a traditional soup made with meat, potatoes, corn and other vegetables, followed by roast pork or beef, salad and fresh fruit. Christmas Day is a more relaxed affair, with people sipping hot chocolate, eating pastries, and meeting with friends and family. Gift-giving is not a common practice, but some people exchange presents during the Epiphany, when children receive gifts from the Three Kings.

Christmas Eve procession

In Bolivia, Christmas Eve is the most important time of the Christmas season. The festivities kick off with a religious procession through the streets, where men carry a huge, heavy altar bearing a statue of Jesus Christ. The procession makes its way down every street of the town or city, with hundreds of people singing and dancing alongside. The altar is then taken to the main church for Midnight Mass.

The procession is part of a deeply religious celebration in Bolivia, where approximately 77% of the population are devoted Catholics. The Christmas Eve procession is followed by the Misa del Gallo (Mass of the Rooster), a candlelit service that attracts thousands of people and lasts into the early hours of the morning. The mass is so-called because devotees do not return home until the early morning, simultaneous with the rooster's awakening.

The Christmas Eve procession is also a time for families to come together and celebrate. After the procession and Mass, families sit down to a traditional Bolivian dinner and festivities. The meal typically consists of picana, a soup made with meat, potatoes, corn, and other vegetables, served with salad, fruit, and roast beef or pork.

The Christmas Eve procession is just one of the unique Christmas traditions in Bolivia. Bolivians also bring two offerings to the Midnight Mass: a small baby Jesus figurine and something reflecting their profession. For example, a baker may bring a small loaf of bread, or a cobbler may bring a pair of tiny shoes.

Midnight Mass

Christmas in Bolivia is a unique and special time, with a host of interesting rituals and traditions. Midnight Mass, or 'Misa de Gallo' (Mass of the Rooster), is a key part of the celebrations.

The majority of Bolivians are Catholic, and for many, Christmas is a deeply religious celebration. Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve is a popular tradition, with thousands of people attending. The service is candlelit, and churches in towns and cities are overflowing with visitors, with many listening from outside. The mass is named 'Mass of the Rooster' because it finishes in the early hours of the morning, simultaneous with the rooster's crowing to greet the new day.

Before the mass, there is often a procession through the streets, with men carrying a heavy altar bearing a statue of Jesus Christ. The altar is taken through every street in the town or city, with people singing and dancing alongside it, before being taken to the main church for Midnight Mass.

It is also customary to bring two small gifts to the midnight service: a figurine of the Baby Jesus, and a gift representing one's profession. For example, a baker may bring a small loaf of bread, or a cobbler a pair of shoes. These gifts are an offering and an appeal for abundance in the New Year.

After the service, families return home to enjoy a feast. The traditional meal is 'picana', a soup or stew made with several kinds of meat, vegetables, wine, and corn. This is served with roast pork or beef, salad, and fresh fruit.

Christmas meal

In Bolivia, Christmas is a deeply religious celebration, and Christmas Eve is the most important time during the season. Families attend a midnight mass called the Misa de Gallo or "Mass of the Rooster" because locals return home at the same time that roosters are waking up. After the mass, families sit down to their Christmas meal.

The traditional meal is picana, a stew or soup made from chicken, beef or lamb, and pork, served with potatoes, corn, and other vegetables. It is often accompanied by salads, tropical fruit, and roast beef or pork. In Santa Cruz, many people eat turkey or roast chicken. The meal is usually washed down with cold drinks, as Christmas in Bolivia falls during the summertime.

On Christmas morning, Bolivians sip hot chocolate and eat buñuelos, a type of sweetbread or pastry drizzled with syrup.

On Christmas Eve, employers often give their staff a canasta, a large basket filled with cooking essentials such as flour, corn, eggs, salt, and sweet treats like candies, fruit, honey, or wine to share with their families on Christmas Eve.

Nativity scenes

In recent years, Christmas trees and lights have become more popular in Bolivia, especially in metropolitan areas, but the nativity scene remains the most popular and artfully embellished Christmas decoration for most Bolivians. In the Andean regions, families typically stay home and enjoy a hot chocolate and a humble version of the Bethlehem depiction. The Aymara people, who live in the highlands, produce pairs of clay animal figures which they bury in the earth, covering them with dirt and beer as an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, locals walk around the city admiring the large nativity scenes all vying to win a local competition. Nativity scenes are also the focus of a 2008 'retro-Christmas' in La Paz, organised by a group of Bolivians who wanted to return to the traditional celebration, devoid of trees, presents and Santa Claus. One woman, Rocio Silva de Caijas, displayed her collection of nativities from around the world, including a Bolivian nativity made from native motacu silver.

Gifts and celebrations

In Bolivia, Christmas is celebrated from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on the 6th of January. The majority of the population is Catholic, so Christmas is a deeply religious celebration.

Christmas Eve is the most important time of the season in Bolivia. Families attend a midnight mass called the Misa de Gallo or "Mass of the Rooster" because people return home early in the morning, simultaneous with the rooster's awakening. People bring two offerings to mass: a small baby Jesus figurine and something reflecting their profession. For example, a baker may bring a little loaf of bread.

The holiday continues until the Epiphany on January 6th, when children receive gifts. On the night before Epiphany, kids place their shoes outside their door, and the Three Kings leave presents in their shoes during the night.

Christmas is also harvest time in Bolivia. Bolivians celebrate Mother Earth's bounty and thank her for the past year's generosity and the hope for the future.

Christmas celebrations begin when families return home from midnight mass and enjoy a traditional Bolivian dinner and festivities. Dinner consists of picana, a soup made with meat, potatoes, corn, and other vegetables. It is accompanied by salad, fruit, and roast beef or pork.

On Christmas Day, people drink hot chocolate and eat buñuelos, a doughnut-like pastry drizzled in syrup. Some people go to church, meet up with friends in the square, and then head back home to relax with family.

Nativity scenes, or pesebres, are quite common Christmas decorations in Bolivia. Churches often have large scenes outside them. Christmas trees are becoming more popular, although they are usually only found in large towns and cities.

In Bolivia, workers get double or triple the normal salary in December. This is called 'El Aguinaldo' and is a government law that must be paid for by employers. Many workplaces also give their employees a 'Canastón de fin de Año' or 'End of the year basket'. It's a large basket or container full of things like grocery items, a bottle of cidra (non-alcoholic sparkling cider), and panetón (sweet fruit bread).

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