If you want to understand what’s most important to the people of Honduras, just take a look at their Christmas celebrations. While the country’s lack of clean water can make even the most basic activities a struggle, it hasn’t dampened their sense of community and holiday spirit. Honduras Christmas traditions center around family and faith, as people gather to reflect on the ups and downs of the past year and their hopes for the future.
Christmas Eve
More than 75% of people in Honduras identify as Catholic or Evangelist, so Christmas is a major event. Many of the biggest holiday events happen on Christmas Eve, beginning with preparing the family meal they’ll enjoy later that night. It’s also common to open gifts on December 24th, and even Santa has been known to make a surprise appearance.
At some point in the evening, most people attend a Christmas Eve church service. Many people get dressed up in new clothes and shoes, known as their estreno. When midnight arrives, the celebration continues as families set off fireworks displays.
Christmas Day
After the festivities of the night before, Christmas Day is dedicated to relaxation. Rather than cooking another meal, Hondurans often save their energy and eat leftovers from their Christmas Eve feast.
Some families also exchange gifts on Christmas Day. Companies, organizations, and independent individuals gather items to share with low-income children so no one will be left out of the holiday joy.
Common Christmas Foods
While families in some other countries spend hours basting a turkey or baking a ham, Hondurans usually build their holiday meal around nacatamales.
Similar to Latin American tamales, nacatamales contain a mixture of corn dough and meat, typically chicken or pork, wrapped in banana stalk leaves. However, they also contain additional ingredients, such as rice, vegetables, olives, and raisins, that may not be present in tamales in other parts of the world.
While nacatamales might take center stage at the meal, they’re not the only dish on the table. Other popular Honduran holiday foods include:
- Stuffed chicken
- Baked pork
- Sweet torrejas
- Chicken sandwiches
- Fruit cocktail
Wine and Rompopo β a beverage that’s similar to eggnog β usually accompany this mouthwatering Christmas Eve meal.
Common Christmas Crafts
Homemade crafts are another important part of celebrating Christmas in Honduras. Children and adults alike make handmade ornaments and decorations with clay, leather, wood, and reed. These might include:
- Carts
- Hats
- Baskets
- Purses
- Wreaths
- Deer
- Acorns
Some families make crafts to decorate their own homes. Others create them as thoughtful gifts for loved ones.
Craft-making also takes place during community celebrations. Public parks across the country have Christmas villages where families can make crafts while they eat delicious food, play games, and listen to music.
As the end of the year approaches, many Hondurans burn effigies. These mannequins are filled with gunpowder and burned as a way of saying farewell to the past year and welcoming the next.
Christmas Stories
Leading up to the Christmas holiday, families decorate their homes with lights and ornaments. Most importantly, they display nativity scenes that tell the story of the birth of Jesus.
Christmas is also an opportunity for grandparents to share old stories with their families. This helps every generation feel more connected to each other and their ancestry.
Common Religious Traditions
In addition to attending a Christmas Eve church service, Hondurans also hold Las Posadas. This traditional event nine days before Christmas commemorates the pilgrimage made by Joseph and Mary to the city of Bethlehem. During Las Posadas, families have a small celebration to bring a message of peace and hope to the people they love and prepare for a fresh start to the new year.
Appreciating the Magic of Honduras Christmas Traditions
The beauty of Honduras is never clearer than during the Christmas season. Beyond the colorful decorations and dazzling fireworks, the true spirit of the holiday is reflected when families and friends come together to celebrate, exchange gifts, and share a special meal.
At Healing Waters International, we believe everyone should have access to clean water at Christmas and every day of the year.
During this season of giving, consider making a donation to help establish community water systems in Honduras.