I have been living in Peru for over a year now, so this will be my second Christmas in South America. Peru is a big country with a lot of different regions, kind of like the way the United States has many different states. Because of that, Christmas traditions can look a little different depending on where you are. I live in a rural area of Cajamarca in the Andes Mountains, so I’ll tell you about the traditions I see here.
Something really fun is noticing how Christmas in Peru has some things in common with Christmas in the United States, but also some special traditions that make it unique.
For example, many families in the U.S. celebrate on December 25th. But here in Peru, the biggest celebration happens the night before, on December 24th. Families stay up late, eating dinner and spending time together. Also, in the United States, people talk a lot about Santa and giving many gifts. Here, where I live, many families don’t exchange gifts, and kids often don’t talk much about Santa. If they do get a present, it’s usually one simple gift.
Another difference is decorations. In my town, only one house has Christmas lights, and most families don’t have Christmas trees.
