The celebration of Christmas in Latin America has a unique and special touch, as in addition to its unique traditions, it is marked by the joyful family gatherings that take place throughout the month of December.
The Posadas:
In many Central American countries, the famous posadas are an important tradition, and Costa Rica is no exception. It is a tradition that lasts nine nights, starting on the 16th and ending on the 24th of December with the birth of the Christ Child.
During the posadas, families go each night to a different house, simulating what Mary and Joseph had to endure while looking for an inn for Jesus to be born. According to tradition, the hosts of the posadas offer their guests delicious Christmas dishes and desserts.
Christmas nativity scenes:
The Christmas pasitos are a Costa Rican tradition in which families assemble a scale model of the Nativity scene and the manger where the Child God was born. In it, you can find figures such as the Virgin Mary, Joseph, shepherds, an ox, a donkey, and the three wise men.
Unlike the other figures, the Baby Jesus only makes his appearance in the nativity scene until midnight on December 24th, when families gather to celebrate his birth. Additionally, the Three Wise Men arrive at the nativity scene a few days later, on January 6th.
Christmas dinner:
The Christmas dinner is something that cannot be missing in any home; precisely to celebrate the arrival of the Child God to the world, families gather and share exquisite typical Christmas dishes from the region, where the most common are tamales and rompope, a drink made with eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, milk, sugar, and alcohol.
