| Christmas in Venezuela
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Celebrate Christmas in Venezuela with religious and traditional customs, with all the information from123Christians. A Catholic country, a Venezuelan Christmas commemorates the birth of the child Jesus. Religious revelry begins on 16th December with masses held every morning until December 24th, when the service is held at midnight (Missa de Gallo). The core carnival takes place on Christmas Eve, the Noche Buena as it is called in Spanish.
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Families enjoy the traditional holiday meal of hallacas, pan de jamon (long bread filled with cooked ham and raisins), dulce de lechoza (dessert of green papaya and brown sugar). The authentic Venezuelan custom is to display a Nacimiento (Nativity scene). A more sophisticated nacimiento - the Pesebre- represents an entire region with mountains, hills, plains and valleys. The focal point is a replica of the manger at Bethlehem. Often, the Pesebre becomes a real work of art.
On December 25 children awake to find their gifts around the Nacimiento, the Christmas tree. Tradition has it that it is the Child Jesus, not Santa, who brings gifts to the Venezuelan children. Christmas festivities come to an official completion on January 6, the Day of the Reyes Magos (when the Three Wise Kings who came to visit Mary and infant Jesus), when children once more receive toys and candies. Christmas is, above all, the main holiday during which Venezuelan families get together and rejoice. Exult in the melody of the carnival with
123Christians.
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