A Costa Rican Christmas

By: Bethany G. Nairn

Did you know that Costa Rica celebrates Christmas? However, it isnt the same as you might celebrate it here. For one thing, since Costa Rica is south of the Equator, December is in their summer. That means that the kids are out of school, for summer as well. As you can probably imagine, there is rarely snow in Costa Rica. Many people there are intrigued by snow. People who are working get a bonus from their employer called an aquinaldo. This money is the same amount as a whole months pay. The Christmas season in Costa Rica starts on December 16. There are 3 major parades that take place after the Christmas season has started. They are: El Carnival, El Tope, and El Destile de Luces. There is still so much more to a Costa Rican Christmas. The first Christmas in Costa Rica was celebrated in 1601. They start with the 9 days of Posadas (the 9 days before Christmas) which are also celebrated in Mexico. Christmas there is also focused around Jesus, the Christ child. The posada (the manger) frequently takes up much of the living room area. Children gather things such as grasses and twigs to decorate it with. In the night of Noche Buena (Christmas Eve), Jesus is placed in the manger before the family goes to the Misa de Gallo (Christmas Midnight Mass). Just a few days before Christmas, the tree- which is painted white- is brought into the home. It is either a Cyprus tree or dried branches from a coffee tree. Children may lay out their shoes to be filled with presents or candy.