CHRISTMAS IN ECUADOR
TRADITIONS
OR CUSTOMS
Christmas
in Ecuador is a purely family and religious festival, it is the most important
celebration of the year, as all families try to meet at dinner on December 24
where it is usual to eat turkey or pork main course and dessert pristine which
rings are fried wheat flour dough, topped with brown sugar syrup.
Christmas
night, at 24h00, the gifts previously brought "Santa Claus" for
children and adults are divided, they generally found under the Christmas tree
and delivered by one of those present. In some houses one of the adults is
disguised as Santa Claus and comes with gifts in a sack and distributed. That
tradition was common in the sixties and seventies.
For
being a Catholic country Ecuador, a very special activity is the development of
births or Bethlehem, and Prayer Novena of Baby Jesus that takes place every
night from December 16. This is a deeply rooted and families pray at their
respective houses 8 days before Christmas Eve. That day, corresponding to the
last of the ninth, they pray at home where they are to celebrate the dinner.
Groups
are also organized to pray the novena, performing every day in a different
group home; the children sing Christmas carols accompanied by small musicales
instruments.
Midnight
Mass: 24, really good and the 25th at 00:00 pm Midnight Mass is celebrated in
all churches. It's a pretty long the busiest of the year and then Masses Mass
but are made to each family child, or the child Jesus to do them until January
6.
Advent wreath: There are many households where
members keep alive the custom of celebrating the beginning of the liturgical
year with Advent wreath. During the pre-December 25 four Sundays, the family
gathers around it to remember scriptures and do some prayers, while their light
candles.
The revelation: the accompaniment is awake by
devotees and relatives to sculpture the image of the child Jesus, the eve of
the Mass is performed.
MUSIC
Christmas
has associated huge songs of all kinds and of all genres amount, this helps to
make Christmas one of the most joyous holidays, but above all, dearest.
Christmas songs and carols are known.
Ecuador
has an abundant production of Christmas carols and songs, many attributed to
foreign or anonymous authors, but the reality is that the list of Ecuadorian
composers dedicated to perpetuate in words and music the birth of Jesus is
extensive. In addition to Bustamante, Garzon Bautista and include, among
others, Hermenegildo Rodriguez Parra, Jose Nicolas Rodriguez, Jose Vanegas,
Middle Cave and Second Moreno.
With
them, priests as Hernán Pinzón, John Macias, Medardo Mora and Hugo Vázquez
Angel Almazan, who pastored in Guayaquil and died in April 2008. He composed
about 36 carols, most of which Ecuador, its regions and cities were stage
Nativity of the Son of God. For example, Christmas Eve in San Miguel de Bolivar
in La Chala Christmas, Christmas Quito and Andean cradle song.
