Christmas traditions

Christmas is the most popular Christian holiday, despite the fact that the Church considers Easter to be more important. One of them is known as the Ninth of Aguinaldos (December 16 to 24), a Catholic custom in which families or groups of people gather to pray a novena, consume typical Christmas dishes (Depending on the country), sing Christmas carols and make themed entertainment to the Christmas and New Year holidays. Before the event, the Advent wreath is made, made of cypress branches or pine tied with a red ribbon, is made every Sunday before Christmas Day. Families gather around them every Sunday, light a candle and recite prayers and Christmas carols in preparation for the Birth of Jesus. This tradition is recurrent in the Catholic Church since the crown must be blessed in the church. Others involve a set of diverse traditions, both liturgical and family, local or national. Beginning with the Christmas Eve dinner (December 24-December 25), it consists of a large banquet that covers from the eve of Christmas Day until after midnight. It is celebrated in honor of the birth of Christ that took place at midnight, at the beginning of December 25; similar to the Jewish Feast of Passover. Traditionally, turkey, pork, lamb, cod and other dishes are eaten, depending on the place where it is celebrated or the traditions of the family. Traditionally in Christian families or meetings of Christians, a midnight prayer is usually held in honor of the birth of Jesus and as a sign of thanksgiving to God. The nativity scenes, cribs or Christmas births: consist of the representation of the birth of Jesus, through a model of Bethlehem and its surroundings, in which the main figures are the stable where Jesus was born, the '' Holy Family '', the animals and the shepherds, also the 3 '' Kings of the East '' and a star with a stele that is also usually placed on top of the Christmas '' tree ''. According to tradition, Saint Francis of Assisi was its inventor. In Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica and other countries, the figure of the Child is not placed until the arrival of Christmas, the date on which it is celebrated his birth, and after being "lulled" is placed between Joseph and Mary. The carols: songs or songs alluding to the birth of Christ or the Holy Family. Some like "Night of Peace" have versions in several languages ​​or rhythms, with the same or different name.

The Christmas tree: a decorative element for which is usually used a conifer (or artificial trees) decorated with ornaments. Being an evergreen tree symbolizes the love of God. It has its origin in Germany where the evangelist Saint Boniface established the tradition. For larger elaborations, Christmas villas are made; representations of villages in snow season