Christmas Day

Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus and comes near the end of Colombia’s unusually extended December festive cycle. Preparations commonly begin with the Night of the Little Candles on December 7. From December 16 through 24, many families, parishes, offices and neighbourhood groups hold the Novena de Aguinaldos, meeting daily for prayers, songs, food and social time around a nativity scene.

For many households the largest family gathering occurs on Nochebuena, December 24, with a late meal, music and gift-giving around midnight. Christmas Day can consequently be quieter: relatives rest, attend Mass, eat leftovers or continue visits. Natilla and buñuelos are widely recognised seasonal foods, but Colombia’s regional cuisines and household habits are diverse. Gift traditions may invoke Niño Dios rather than Santa Claus, though both are familiar.

Law 51 of 1983 makes December 25 a fixed nationwide day of paid rest. The Colombian bishops retain Christmas as a holy day of obligation, so Catholic worship remains central for practising families. The holiday does not transfer to Monday. Essential and hospitality workers may remain on duty, and the legal closure should not be confused with the full cultural season, which also includes year-end travel and New Year celebrations.