Christmas Celebrations in San Salvador.Christmas in El Salvador is a vibrant holiday rich with festive customs and traditions enjoyed by families across the country.
While specific customs may differ between households, they often feature family gatherings, festive foods, fireworks, decorated Christmas trees, and beautifully arranged nativity scenes.
In El Salvador, Christmas is primarily celebrated on December 24, but the festivities stretch throughout the month, making it a month-long celebration. These cherished traditions are deeply rooted in Salvadoran culture and passed down through generations.
How is Christmas celebrated in El Salvador?
Traditional Christmas celebrations in El Salvador are all about customs and traditions. Popular holiday activities include family gatherings, preparing unique dishes, setting off fireworks, and crafting nativity scenes, known as Los Nacimientos.
Another popular custom in the country for Christmas Eve is “El Estreno,” which is just wearing something new, such as shoes, pants, shirts, skirts, or dresses.
Most Salvadorans see the Christmas celebrations as a time for gathering with family and close friends, enjoying a traditional dinner, talking, drinking, setting off fireworks, dancing, and exchanging presents at midnight.
Religion plays a significant role in Salvadoran culture, and its influence is especially evident during the Christmas celebrations.
While Salvadoran Catholics participate in traditional festivities like family gatherings and fireworks, they also attend mass before midnight.
Furthermore, before opening gifts, they honor the tradition of holding an image of baby Jesus, offering prayers of gratitude for the past year, and asking for blessings for the year ahead.
Family gathering during the Christmas holidays
Getting together with family or friends is one of the best Salvadoran traditions during the Christmas holidays. Salvadorans travel long distances to be with loved ones during these holiday celebrations.
Evidence of people traveling long distances for the December holidays is the increased activity at El Salvador’s International Airport throughout December. Salvadorans living abroad come home during the holiday season to reconnect with family and friends.
Families do different things during these Christmas gatherings. Some families attend religious activities together, and others stay at home, play traditional music, dance, hang out, and talk to each other.
By the way, Christmas family gatherings provide an excellent opportunity for many to reconnect with relatives who haven’t seen each other in a while.
SEE ALSO: El Salvador Holidays and Celebrations: Exploring El Salvador’s Colorful Festivities!
Traditional and unique foods for Christmas
Another popular aspect of Salvadoran Christmas traditions is cooking typical foods and unique family recipes. Families go out of their way to cook these tasty foods throughout the December holidays.
Some traditional foods prepared for Christmas are Tamales, Pan con Pollo, and Quesadillas; these foods are prepared in larger quantities as they serve a few purposes.
These foods, prepared in large quantities, are there for anyone visiting during the holidays.
Showing up unannounced at friends’ or relatives’ homes is customary in Salvadoran culture. Also, these foods are given as gifts to relatives and neighbors.
On the other hand, specific or unique family recipes are prepared in lesser quantities and shared with the immediate family and close friends. Most families eat this meal together at dinner on the 24th. Some examples of these recipes are Lomo Relleno, Lasagna, Roasted Chicken, etc.
When it comes to specific foods for Christmas dinner, each family decides what they want to prepare. The cooking of these traditional Salvadoran foods is a tradition that makes this holiday better in El Salvador.
SEE ALSO: 20 Traditional Salvadoran Foods to Try Today. The Culinary Treasures of El Salvador
The fireworks during Christmas celebrations
Fireworks are an integral part of Christmas celebrations in El Salvador. They are set off at various times throughout December, and the country has very few restrictions on their use.
The sound of fireworks going off during December is a normal thing to hear during the year-end holidays. Salvadorans set up fireworks all over the country and at all hours.
The peak time for fireworks is at midnight on December 24th, when most people take to the streets to set off all types of fireworks. Keep in mind that there are very few regulations on the types of fireworks allowed, so it’s important to exercise caution.
The noise of these fireworks being set up throughout the area can be intimidating, but it is an experience best enjoyed in person.
On December 24th, at midnight, the fireworks fill the air, and the streets become filled with smoke with a strong smell of burnt powder.
Christmas fireworks are a tradition that has caused controversy over the last few years. The country has almost no laws regarding who, what type, and when these fireworks can be set off. Therefore, the number of firework-related injuries during Christmas is alarming.
Every year, during the Christmas holidays, many people get injured, especially children. Most of the injuries reported are severe burns; however, more critical injuries occur often, including loss of fingers or even death.
Even with all the controversies, setting off fireworks is a Christmas tradition enjoyed by Salvadorans of any age all over the country.
Los Nacimientos or nativity scenes
Salvadoran families take their nativity scenes, or Los Nacimientos, very seriously. Some spend days carefully arranging their displays to impress others.
These nativity scenes vary from home to home, ranging from simple setups featuring images of baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary to elaborate displays with fountains, light shows, and more.
The Salvadoran nativity scene is a cherished Christmas tradition that adds to the holiday’s charm. Additionally, municipalities and churches create their own Nativity scenes.
Sence of community during Christmas in El Salvador
The Christmas holidays promote a strong sense of community in El Salvador. During this time, neighbors and community members often go out of their way to be more inclusive and share the holiday spirit.
For example, many people give away traditional foods they’ve prepared as gifts to their neighbors. At midnight on the 24th, after exchanging hugs with family, it’s common for people to head into the streets, hug their neighbors, and wish them a merry Christmas.
Although this tradition is slowly fading, it remains alive, particularly in smaller municipalities. Embracing others in the community during Christmas is a heartwarming Salvadoran tradition that continues to bring people together.
Other Christmas traditions in El Salvador
El Salvador has many other Christmas traditions that make this holiday even more special. Not everyone in the country follows them; however, they are worth mentioning.
Some of these traditions are El Estreno on Christmas Eve, dancing to La Bala Song, Eating Recalentados for days(Leftover food), going to the Beach on December 25th, and dancing all night long on the 24th.
El Estreno on Christmas Eve
El Estreno is just wearing something new for Christmas eve; it does not matter what it is, shoes, pants, shirts, skirts, dresses, etc. Many Salvadorans will make sure to wear something new (Estrenar) on Christmas eve.
Dancing to La Bala Song
La Bala is a classic song popular on Christmas eve. It is an upbeat song by the “Los Hermanos Flores” group that Salvadorans, especially the older generation like to dance to at some point during the night. Play the following video to hear this popular song.
Eating Recalentados (Leftover food)
Recalentados is a Spanish word for leftover food. Since families prepare so much food for Christma eve; and get food from family or neighbors, there is plenty of excess food to eat for days.
Going to the Beach on December 25th
Salvadorans celebrate Christmas on the 24th at midnight. Therefore, taking a trip to the beach on the 25th is a popular tradition for Salvadorans. The most popular beaches in El Salvador get crowded on December 25th.
Dancing all night long.
Salvadorans love to dance, and most of them take this opportunity to show their dancing moves to family and friends. It is typical for Salvadoran households to play classical dancing Christmas songs throughout the night. The following song by Los Hermanos Flores is a popular song among Salvadorans.
Christmas in El Salvador
Christmas in El Salvador is one of the most popular holidays in the country, and for good reasons. It involves family, friends, and traditions that go back a long time. These traditions are what make Christmas in El Salvador special. They are part of the Salvadoran culture.
Salvadorans of all ages look forward to spending time with family, eating tasty food, and setting off fireworks. Spending Christmas in El Salvador is a fantastic experience.
