A Venezuelan Christmas experience: From hallacas to presents

Following up on last year’s personal Christmas story submitted by BaseLang teacher Estefany, this week we’ve asked another of our Spanish teachers to share some of his family’s Venezuelan Christmas traditions. Let’s hear how Juan and his family celebrate the holiday season in Venezuela!

From my perspective, nothing comes close to the magic of Christmas. It’s the family gatherings, the heartwarming food, the festive decorations, and the joyful energy that I look forward to all year. Around the world, people celebrate Christmas in many unique ways, with traditions shaped by culture, location, and family stories. Today, I want to share a little piece of my world. I will explain how my family celebrates Christmas in Venezuela and what makes this holiday so special to us.

A small Venezuelan Christmas background

Christmas is a big deal in Venezuelan culture, deeply connected to the solid Catholic roots and rich traditions. For my family, it’s not just about the festivities; it’s about the rare chance to come together with loved ones who might only visit during this time of year. That’s what makes our celebrations so meaningful and unforgettable.

Many streets are decorated for Christmas

Music and decorations: Christmas prelude

In our family, the Christmas season starts early with the rhythm of gaitas, a traditional music from the state of Zulia, and a famous merengue band, La Billo’s Caracas Boys, filling every corner of our home. Every time this music is played in Venezuela, people associate it with Christmas. We wake up every day listening to my father singing these songs with his beautiful and deep voice. The sound of this joyful music sets the tone for the festivities as we transform the house into a holiday party.

Our house becomes a Christmas wonderland in the first 2 weeks of December. But before we begin, our brothers and I embark on a special trip downtown to buy some paint and the estrenos, new clothes and shoes we wear on Christmas Eve. Preparing the house for the Christmas decorations is a bonding experience. It makes our family ties even stronger.

Our Christmas decorations’ main attraction is the pesebre, meaning manger, a nativity scene. We build it together with care and creativity. It holds a special spot in our living room. We also build and decorate el arbolito, or Christmas tree. We place it in the other corner of our living room. Pine trees are rare in Venezuela, that’s why people buy plastic trees. We decorate the house with lights and decorations that my mother spends hours selecting. Adding a new piece each year has become a beloved family tradition.

In our living room, my family proudly displays our pesebre, or manger scene

Time to cook: Making hallacas and the Christmas dish

Christmas food is definitely my favorite part of this season. We start preparing dishes a week before Christmas Eve. Our kitchen and backyard become the heart of our house while we start making hallacas, a traditional corn dough filled with meats and spices wrapped in plantain leaves. Under my mom and aunt’s supervision, listening to the lively tunes of gaitas and La Billo’s, we assemble each hallaca with layers, laughter, flavors, and family work. The smell of the spices, the sound of our laughter, the sight of the colorful ingredients, and the taste of the first bite, make the senses come alive in our kitchen.

Besides hallacas, we cook pan de jamón, a savory bread stuffed with ham and olives, and ensalada de gallina that includes shredded chicken (often made from hen), potatoes, carrots, green peas, and sometimes apple or pineapple for a hint of sweetness. We also make pernil, which is often made from pork’s leg or shoulder and mixed with orange juice, lime juice, garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and a blend of fresh herbs like oregano and rosemary. For dessert, we prepare dulce de lechosa, a sweet dessert from green papaya. We often spend days preparing these delicacies together.

Although we take our time making this food, we enjoy every step because the atmosphere is filled with storytelling, dancing, laughs, bonding, photographs, and promises of what’s to come. This makes the cooking process a delightful and heartwarming experience.

Nochebuena: Time of celebration

Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve, is when the magic in our house comes alive. Before everything begins, we shower and wear our estrenos. My mom puts the Baby Jesus on el pesebre, covers him with a white blanket, and waits until midnight to uncover him, symbolizing his birth.

Now is the moment many people, especially children, eagerly wait for it to finally arrive: it’s time to open the gifts that Baby Jesus has brought us! While Santa is certainly known here, children believe that Latin America is Baby Jesus’s special territory, making this moment even more magical. Therefore, Baby Jesus usually delivers presents to our homes. As we gather around and unwrap gifts, laughter and excitement fill the air. Opening each present brings smiles and joy, creating beautiful memories we’ll hold on to forever.

After the excitement of opening the gifts, we all gather around the table for our Christmas dinner. The air is still filled with melodies of the gaitas and Billo’s. The official start of our feast is my dad raising his glass to make a toast. He gives thanks for the year’s blessings, the delicious dinner, and the family togetherness. Then, each of us takes turns saying a few words to express our gratitude. Our words mingle with the rich aroma of hallacas, pan de jamón, ensalada de gallina, pernil, and dulce de lechoza.

Once we’ve expressed gratitude for the year’s blessings, we eat our delicious Christmas dishes. Our table becomes a stage for sharing our collective stories and future plans. After dinner, our little cousins and grandparents go to sleep, leaving the rest of us to continue with the Christmas Eve celebration; while some of us dance, others prefer to chat, share, and talk about their Christmas presents.

The day after Christmas Eve is a little quieter and less active. The food we prepare on this day will depend on how tired we are from the night before. If we are up for it, we whip up a pot of sanchocho, a delicious vegetable soup with meat, chicken, corn, and vegetables. However, if we’re feeling the effects of the previous night, we opt for what many Venezuelans call recalentado, or reheating, which is basically enjoying the leftovers from the Christmas Eve meal. It is usually eaten with arepas or bread.

After eating, we take our little cousins and nephews to the park to play with their Christmas presents. Then, we visit our relatives who did not attend our Christmas dinner. My mom and aunts exchange hallacas and the secrets of preparing the best Christmas dishes.

Conclusion

I’m so grateful to have shared a glimpse into the Venezuelan Christmas customs my family and I celebrate. With the lively music, the festive decorations, the rich aromas of hallacas, and the warmth of Nochebuena, every moment feels like a treasure. It’s not just about the gifts or the food; it’s the togetherness, laughter, and stories we share that make this time memorable.

These traditions are more than routines. They are threads that bind us. Christmas is a time when our bonds strengthen and our love shines even brighter. Thank you for joining me in celebrating the magic of a Venezuelan Christmas!

Thanks Juan! If you enjoyed this personal story, don’t forget to check out Estefany’s Venezuelan Christmas traditions too. And for a full list of vocab for the season, head on over to our post on Spanish Christmas vocabulary!