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Welcome to Venezuela—”The 3rd Country of Christmas”!
I have seen people go to mass, and I have seen people go to mass on Christmas Eve. However, I have never seen people go to mass on Christmas Eve on roller skates!
Yes, you read that right
In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, the city’s residents go to church in the early morning hours on Christmas Eve. They don’t walk, and they don’t drive. Rather, they strap on their roller skates and off they go!
Some of the areas of the city are even blocked off to cars so that the skaters can fill and glide safely through the streets.
If you find going to church on roller skates fascinating, just wait! There are other interesting Christmas traditions in Venezuela.
Venezuelan Christmas Traditions
“The night before mass, children tie long pieces of string to their big toes and let the string dangle out of their bedroom windows. Those skating below give the strings a tug as they pass by to wake the children up.”
Mashable
Hopefully, no kids in Venezuela are flying out of their windows!
After mass, the roller skaters return home to a traditional Christmas meal called Noche Buena. Do you know what they eat?!
They eat special Christmas tamales, but these are no ordinary tamales. Rather, on Christmas Eve they eat hallacas.
“Hallacas resemble tamales with their outer plantain leaf wrappings and cornmeal crust. Inside, the dish features meat, olives, raisins, peppers, capers and pickled vegetables for a mix of flavors. Instead of steaming, like the traditional Mexican tamale, hallacas go into hot water to boil. The dish is a staple at Christmastime.”
Xtrema
Perhaps you’re looking for a new form of Christmas Eve entertainment this year. Go rent some roller skates, glide on over to the church service, and then eat some hallacas for dinner!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Venezuela!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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What about you? What are some interesting Christmas traditions in your family or culture, or in other countries you have visited?
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