How to Celebrate an Argentinian Christmas

In Argentina, the Christmas celebration takes place during the summer season.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Christmas Decorations
• Christmas Tree Lights
• Christmas Trees
• Nativity Scenes
• Barbecue Grills
• Candles
• Charcoal
• Tree Stands
• Candles

1. Select an artificial or live tree to display in your home. Decorate it with colored lights, ornaments and candles.

2. Buy Christmas gifts and place them under the tree.

3. Set up a Nativity scene, a model of the manger where Jesus Christ was born.

4. Attend a Christmas church service, if this is part of your family's holiday tradition.

5. Plan a barbecue or picnic as your Christmas meal to take advantage of the pleasant weather.

6. Serve cake for dessert and top it off with "sidra," or champagne.

7. Expect fireworks to be set off at midnight.

8. Wait until the festivities are complete before opening your gifts.

9. Remember that although Argentina is much warmer than the United States at Christmas, the traditions are quite similar.

Tips & Warnings

• "Feliz Navidad" means "Merry Christmas" in Argentina.
• Argentina is a country with many cultural influences, so its Christmas traditions are diverse and cannot be generalized. The above steps represent a few local traditions that may or may not be appropriate for your celebration.

on 6/30/2006 The fireworks happen on Christmas Eve, hence you open the gifts after midnight (or fireworks), when Santa has been by your house. After midnight it technically means it's now Christmas Day.