| Christmas in Costa Rica
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Christmas in Costa Rica is a time for celebration, sharing and reflection.
To take pleasure in in the seasonal celebrations, here’s 123Christians offering information
on Christmas in Costa Rica. Christmas was first celebrated in Costa Rica in 1601 when then-Governor Don Gonzalo Vazquez de Coronado organized nationwide festivities. In late November decorations begin to appear
in downtown shops, and by the second week of December | |
everybody has lights strung, cypress circlets hung and Christmas trees decorated. And here, too, stockings are carefully awaiting the arrival of the Baby Jesus. The traditional Christmas tree in Costa Rica is an evergreen branch, a small cypress tree, or dried coffee branches, decorated with white paint and brightly colored strips of paper, colored balls, small figures and lace to adorn the greenery. A gold star is placed on the crest as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem.
While Costa Rican families spend a great deal of time arranging their Portales- nativity scenes- just right, traditionally, families who don’t own a home must use a portale that has been received as a gift. Wherever it is, it occupies a position of honor and is a point of pride in the home. Saint Nicholas is also an important part of the ritual and his corpulent presence is everywhere. Posadas take place during the nine days before Christmas. Originating in Spain and Mexico, the posada consists of neighbors getting together at a different neighbor’s house each day to act out the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, accompanying the trek by singing and praying, and gorging. On New Year’s Day, all Tica housewives prepare for the coming year by sweeping out the house, from one end to the other, removing the preceding year’s bad luck and beginning anew. Discover the traditions and cultural etiquette of a Christmas in Costa Rica with 123Christians.
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