Candles, Novenas, and Año Viejo: The Spirit of Colombian Christmas

Christmas is a global celebration; however, each continent and country experiences it differently according to their customs or religion. In Colombia, December traditions reflect the country’s rich cultural heritage. The Christmas spirit can be felt as early as mid-November, when homes, stores, facades, and shopping malls begin to exhibit festive decorations.

Colombians turn the holiday season into a month-long celebration throughout December, from the 1st to the 31st, with a wide variety of traditions that are deeply rooted in the nation’s collective identity.

La Alborada

To welcome December, the state of Antioquia, specifically its capital, Medellín, one of Colombia’s main cities, celebrates La Alborada Decembrina. On the night of November 30th, people in Antioquia gather to await the clock striking midnight and to usher in December by lighting up the sky with fireworks for an entire hour. This tradition has been celebrated for over 20 years.

Día de Las Velitas

Every December 7th, across all corners of Colombia, El Día de las Velitas (Day of the Candles) is celebrated. It’s one of the most cherished Christmas traditions for Colombians and marks the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a Catholic celebration that commemorates the moment the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus.

Families and friends gather in homes, neighborhoods, parks, and squares to light hundreds of candles and lanterns, making wishes for the coming year. This magical evening is celebrated in an atmosphere of unity and joy, with Christmas music, shared meals, snacks, and fireworks.

Communities across the country, from small towns to large cities, adorn streets and balconies with the soft glow of candles. For devout Catholics, these candles are lit in honor of the Virgin Mary, while others see it as a way to give thanks for the year that is ending and to set intentions for the year ahead.

El día de las velitas, The Day of the Candles, is a moment to illuminate the heart with hope and gratitude. As the small flames flicker, one cannot help but reflect on the bonds that unite us: family, love, the tradition that transcends generations, and the deepest desires of the heart that, with each candle that is lit, it feel as if the possibility of making them come true is also ignited. Las Velitas invites us to believe in the power of small acts of love and in the magic of a nation’s unity, coming together in the darkness of the night around the flickering light.

Los Alumbrados

Christmas in Colombia is incomplete without dazzling light displays. Streets, main squares, and public parks across the country are adorned with colorful lights and striking decorations. In Bogotá, for instance, the holiday lights often cover at least 100 kilometers of illuminated cables, with over 150.000 strands of LED mini-lights and 12 million bulbs.

These displays become a favorite activity for both local and international visitors, who spend hours wandering the streets to admire the lights, Christmas decorations, and towering Christmas trees in towns and cities across the country.

Los alumbrados are a dazzling display of joy, hope, and magic that lights up both the streets and the hearts of Colombians. Seeing the cities adorned with thousands of lights shining in the night feels like witnessing a collective dream, where we all come together to celebrate life, faith, and love. Each of those lights beautifies our landscapes with a glow that touches the soul and fills everyone with the excitement of knowing that the most beautiful time of the year has arrived.

Novena de Aguinaldos

The Novena de Aguinaldos (Christmas Novena) is one of Colombia’s most enduring Christmas traditions. It is celebrated during the nine days leading up to Christmas, from December 16th to the 24th. Each evening, families, friends, and even coworkers gather around the nativity scene or Christmas tree to pray and sing traditional carols.

This celebration takes place in an atmosphere of happiness, where people enjoy typical Colombian dishes. Each of the nine nights represents the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy, and the final novena, held at midnight on December 24th, commemorates the birth of Jesus.

The Novenas become much more than a tradition; they are a bridge between faith, family, and shared joy. Each night, as we gather to pray and sing carols, it is a moment to strengthen bonds, to end our days by connecting with others through a custom that evokes faith and gratitude. It invites us to appreciate the hope that Christmas brings and to understand that within each prayer lies the true essence of this season: unity.

Christmas Eve Celebration

Unlike many countries, Colombians celebrate Christmas on the night of December 24th rather than the 25th. Families gather in their homes to share a traditional Christmas dinner that includes dishes such as turkey, pork leg, lechona (stuffed roasted pig), tamales, buñuelos, and natilla. At midnight, Christmas is welcomed with toasts, music, joy, and the exchange of gifts, which are placed under the Christmas tree. For Colombians, Christmas is a time of festivity and celebration, often lasting all night until dawn.

Christmas in Colombia is a celebration that transcends the material and becomes a true embrace of hope and unity. In every corner of the country, people gather to share not only a meal or a gift but also the warmth of family, reunion, and tradition. Amid midnight “Merry Christmas” hugs, laughter, memories, and carols, we strengthen the bonds that connect us. This celebrations encourages us to pause and remember that, beyond the difficulties, there is always room for hope and forgiveness.

El año Viejo

After Christmas, Colombian streets, especially in small towns, begin to fill with Año Viejo (Old Year) dolls. These dolls are made using old clothes, fabrics, and recyclable materials and are stuffed with newspaper, rags, and fireworks. The tradition involves burning the doll after midnight during New Year’s celebration to bid farewell to the year that has passed.

Families and neighbors take to the streets to see and enjoy the burning of the Año viejo. The effigy is set on fire, and the fireworks with their deafening sounds and mesmerizing lights give us a definitive conclusion to the past year and help us bid farewell to everything we’ve lived through.

New year celebration

On December 31st, families gather for the New Year’s Eve dinner, with the menu varying by region. While some enjoy barbecues, others prepare turkey, pork, or tamales. The night is also filled with superstitions and rituals to ensure a prosperous new year, such as:

• Eating 12 grapes: Colombians eat 12 grapes either just before midnight or during the last 12 chimes of the year. Each grape represents a month and a wish or goal for the year ahead.
• Wearing yellow underwear: Many Colombians follow this custom, as wearing yellow is believed to bring good luck and abundance.
• Walking with a suitcase: After midnight, people take a suitcase and walk around the block to express their desire for travel opportunities in the coming year.
• Lentils: Lentils symbolize prosperity and good fortune. Depending on the region, some people fill their pockets with lentils, while others toss them into the air or place a dish of lentils on the dinner table.

Colombian Christmas traditions blend religious, familial, and communal influences into a vibrant celebration of life and a tribute to cultural roots. December in Colombia is far more than just a month on the calendar; it’s a collective ritual where joy, faith, and unity come together to connect the hearts of family, neighbors, and friends.