Merry Christmas! Nadolig Llawen! Joyeux Noël! Frohliche Weihnachten! Feliz Navidad!
Ever wondered how other countries celebrate Christmas? In collaboration with travel bloggers around the world, PackThePJs has compiled this A – Z to give a taste of festivities across the globe. Today we conclude our series with a focus on Y and Z: Yucatan in Mexico and Zambia.
Y: Yucatan, Mexico
Christmas festivities in Mexico, including Yucatan, begin 9 days before Christmas, on 16 December with posadas, a series of candlelight processions. It is a typical Catholic tradition (though the way it is carried out varies from country to country), during which the quest for a place to sleep in Bethlehem by the holy family is re-enacted. Throughout the parade, a traditional litany is sung.
Las Pastorelas is another tradition according to which amateur and professional acting groups stage plays during which they show the adoration of the Christ Child by the shepherds. Christmas trees are common in Mexico, but it is also common to see nacimientos (nativities).
During the Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) families gather for a meal. Typical dishes for the night are tamales, roast turkey, ham, suckling pig and even cod. After dinner, people go to the Midnight Mass, and once back home they open presents brought by the Niño Dios (the Holy Child). As a result, Christmas Day is usually set aside for resting and eating leftovers.
Finally, on 6 January, during Three Kings Day children receive presents again.
For travellers, one of the perks of spending Christmas in Yucatan is that the weather is good, with temperatures that aren’t nearly as high as during the summer, yet warm enough to enjoy a day at the beach.
Thanks to My Adventures Across The World
Z: Zambia
One of my most unforgettable Christmases ever was the one we spent in Livingstone, a town close to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. We were visiting a friend who was volunteering there. The first thing that we noticed when we arrived was that it didn’t really ‘feel’ like Christmas. This was because there were little to no decorations and no lights, due to frequent power shortages. However, the cheer and warmth of local people more than made up for the lack of tinsel and baubles.
We joined a Christmas lunch hosted by the NGO where my friend was volunteering and there was even a moment when Santa came to give presents to all the little ones. Needless to say, it was the highlight of the day!
We hope you have enjoyed reading this post of our A – Z Series. From everyone at PackThePJs we wish you all a very Happy New Year x
