This is our first Christmas in Argentina. We are excited to be here and are learning more about the Christmas season from an Argentine perspective. Over the past month, I have been asked several questions about the Christmas season here in Argentina. This post will answer a few of those questions…

What is the weather like?  This post is being released on the first day of Summer. It is hot and humid here. Yesterday, the temperature was around 85º F. It is hot, the sun doesn’t set until well after 8:00 PM and I am loving it!

Do people decorate their houses? While we really don’t see houses decorated on the outside (with very few exceptions), people do have Christmas Tree’s in there homes. They are all artificial trees and are decorated on December 08 in celebration of the immaculate conception of Mary (a subject for another post. Click Here).

How is Christmas celebrated? I am told that Christmas Eve is celebrated more than Christmas Day. There will be music, fireworks, presents, more fireworks, and of course food. The climax of the night is at 12 midnight. At that point the fireworks start and continue for a long time. People will stay up as late as 3:00 AM in celebrating Christmas! Christmas Day is a time to sleep in and maybe have a lunch with the family. It is basically all over after that lunch.

What are some traditional foods during the Christmas season? I love Gingerbread, but you won’t really find that here. Think of a summer activity. Fruit salad is popular. An asado (grilled steaks and other meats) is popular but that is popular throughout the year. They have a sweet bread called “panettone” that we see in the super markets. We will be trying it out in a few days.

What does the church do for Christmas? I can really only speak for the church we have been attending. Lighthouse Baptist Church had a Christmas Program on Sunday night. It went very well with a number of people visiting. The church looks pretty with a few decorations up.

So there you have it. Christmas in Argentina is very different from what we have experienced in our lives. We have enjoyed it thus far and we are looking forward to Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas!