Latin American Christmas And New Year’s Traditions: The 2025 Cultural Guide

• Latin American Christmas blends shared Christian customs with region-specific practices that center family, food, music, and community, including nine-night celebrations like La Novena de Aguinaldos.

• December 28’s Día de los Inocentes functions like a festive, prank-filled counterpart to April Fools’ Day across many countries from Mexico to Argentina.

• Christmas Eve (Cena de Navidad) is a major family feast featuring diverse regional foods—from tamales, hallacas, and ajiaco to panettone and dulce de lechosa—reflecting each country’s culinary identity.

• New Year’s Eve traditions mix wishes and superstitions for prosperity and renewal: yellow underwear, lentils, coins, potatoes under the bed, “right-foot first,” and exchanging small bills to attract money.

• To cast out bad energy or invite specific hopes, people burn “old year” dolls, toss water, sweep the house, run with a suitcase for travel, eat 12 grapes at midnight, make ocean wishes, and wear colors like pink (love) or white (health).

The end of the year is an arbitrary marker for the passage of time, yet it's hard to not take the opportunity to reflect. For some people, the past year may have been difficult, while for others it was surely much better. Like Tony Camargo since 1953, this latter group might be singing, Ay, yo no olvido al año viejo porque me ha dejado cosas muy buenas. ("Oh, I do not forget the old year because it has left me very good things.") While that song is one way the new year is brought in, there are countless other Latin American New Year's and Christmas traditions.

In fact, Latin America’s holiday season is one of the most vibrant in the world. As Latino communities continue to shape American culture in 2025, more people in the U.S. are encountering these traditions, whether through friends, family, travel, or viral social media trends.

Here, we offer a detailed look at how Christmas and New Year’s are celebrated across Latin America, the Spanish vocabulary behind these rituals, and the cultural nuances that bring them to life.

Latin American Christmas Traditions

Christmas is a Christian holiday combining historical, religious and mythical events. Many Christmas traditions have been adopted in other countries, such as decorating a tree or setting up a nativity scene. Some traditions are specific to a region, however, placing high value on family and highlighting the culture of each country. Here’s a list of some of the best-known traditions:

La Novena de Aguinaldos and Las Posadas (across Latin America)

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish to know: Nochebuena, cena navideña, la posada

The name depends on the country, but this is a very Latin tradition lasting from December 16 to 24. There are nine nights of prayer and Christmas carols that recall the story of Jesus’ birth in a manger, always accompanied by traditional food and drinks. In most cases, it's the perfect excuse to dance around.

Los aguinaldos (Colombia, Ecuador, Central America)

Where? Colombia, Ecuador, Central America
Spanish To Know: aguinaldo, el beso robado, el sí y el no

In its original sense, aguinaldo (“bonus”) refers to a salary bonus for workers in December. There's another bonus, however, which comes from games played between friends and family, where the loser always gives the winner a gift called the aguinaldo. Some of the games are: el beso robado (“the stolen kiss”), el sí y el no (“yes and no”) and tres pies (“three feet”).

2025 relevance: Many families continue the tradition virtually when living abroad.

Día de los Inocentes (across Latin America)

Where? From Mexico to Argentina
Spanish to Know: inocentes

December 28 is very popular in most Latin American countries. It’s a day where you should pay attention because people will try to trick anyone who’s gullible (hence its name, the "day of the innocents"). It's kind of like a Christmassy April Fools' Day.

Cena de Navidad

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish to Know: hallacas, ajiaco santafereño, habrá francachela y habrá comilona

No matter the country, one thing is a must every Christmas Eve: the family reunion with a feast of traditional dishes, sweets and desserts from each region. Whether it be steak cooked in a barbecue, stuffed turkey, tamales, hallacas (steamed meat wrapped in leaves), ajiaco santafereño (a typical soup from Bogotá), enchiladas, empanadas, picana, chicken salad, pork, rice pudding, panettone, custard, dulce de lechosa or and fritters, Christmas in Latin America will leave you with fond memories and a few extra pounds. As Rafael Pombo says in his well-known story of the strolling tadpole, habrá francachela y habrá comilona (“there will be a party and there will be a feast”).

El Pesebre, Belén

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish to Know: el pesebre, belén

Nativity scenes often take priority over Christmas trees, with elaborate designs reflecting local culture.

Villancicos

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish To Know: villancico, aguinaldo, parranda

These traditional songs from the villanos (people from the villages) didn't originate as Christmas carols, but today they are often sung on La Novena. They can be very local, combining musical styles from the Americas, Europe, and Africa. In Puerto Rico, they're known as aguinaldos, and they're sung at parrandas, or "caroling parties."

Traditional Holiday Meals

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish To Know: tamale, ponche navideño, ajiaco, natilla, buñuelos, hallacas, pan de jamón, pan dulce

A holiday meal isn't specific to Latin America, of course, but each has their own traditional dishes that they like to serve for the festive season. Here's just a sampler:

• Mexico — tamales, ponche navideño

• Colombia — ajiaco, natilla, buñuelos

• Venezuela — hallacas, pan de jamón

• Peru — roasted turkey, spiced hot chocolate

• Argentina and Chile — panettone (sometimes called pan dulce in Spanish)

Misa de Gallo

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish to Know: misa de gallo

You might know it as midnight mass, this is the Christian service that acts a quiet time of reflection on Christmas Eve (well, technically Christmas Day).

Fireworks

Where? El Salvador and other parts of Central America
Spanish to Know: fuegos artificiales

While fireworks in many parts of the world are reserved for New Year's, Christmas Eve in El Salvador and other parts of Central America sees a number of fuegos artificiales.

Gifts

Where? Across Latin America
Spanish to Know: regalos

Of course, gifts are part of Christmas celebrations all around the world. These can vary from family to family, though many Latin American Christmas gift-givers tend to favor the small, heartfelt, and handmade regalos over the purely commercial.

End-Of-Year Celebrations And Superstitions

To end the previous year and start the new one on the right foot, there are many activities that usually take place on December 31. They’re part of what makes Latin America unique and are a sample of the mixture of cultures that characterizes the region. Throughout the continent, we find examples of what people believe to be good and what’s needed to be better. All of these practices add a touch of joy and superstition to this special night.

Eating 12 Grapes at Midnight

Where? Across Latin America

This might sound easy, but if you've ever tried it you know it can be a challenge. The idea is you should eat 12 grapes of luck at midnight on New Year's Day, one with each stroke of the clock, so that wishes come true. The tradition started in Spain but has spread across Latin America. It's become popular even more globally with the rise of TikToks spotlighting the feat.

Colored Underwear

Where? Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil

The color of the underwear you're wearing as you ring in 2026 can set the whole tone for the year. Or at least, that's the belief in many parts of the world, including many Latin American countries. Exact traditions differ, but the color you wear might change depending on what you're hoping for: for example, wear yellow for prosperity, but red or pink for love.

Running with a Suitcase

Where? Colombia, Ecuador, and other parts of Latin America

Want to travel in the new year? Follow this tradition from certain parts of Latin America and as the clock strikes midnight grab your suitcase and run down the block. The thought is that should attract adventure into your life. (Plus, you can really prepare for when you're late for your flight.)

Sweeping Out the Old Year

Where? Mexico and certain other parts of Latin America.

Cleaning can set a nice tone for the year no matter what, but in Mexico they practice la limpiada, or a cleaning meant to drive out the bad energy and spirits of the past year.

Throwing Water out the Door

Where? Cuba, Puerto Rico, Uruguay

A dry sweep not doing enough? Try some water. As in, do what they do in certain parts of Latin America and throw water out of your house, which should bring negative energy with it. Other places do the same with coins.

Burning a Doll

Where? Ecuador, as well as Colombia, Peru, Panama, and others

Still not enough? Maybe you need to represent el año viejo ("the old year") as an actual doll and...burn it. First you need a pichingo, a doll made of old clothes and stuffed with gunpowder. The doll is lit on fire at midnight to burn all the bad things from the year along with it. Depending on the region, the doll can have the face of a politician or popular character of the year as a kind of catharsis for what people have experienced.

Eating or Holding Lentils

Where? Across Latin America

Things were starting to get a little severe there, so let's get back to some good luck with an item you probably have in your cabinet: lentils. This is mostly popular in Italy, but people across Latin America have adopted the tradition of eating lentils at midnight (or even just holding them) to welcome prosperity and employment in the year to come.

Hiding Three Potatoes

Where? Columbia

No lentils? Maybe you have some potatoes, and a friend to help with this tradition, which involves hiding three potatoes under the bed: one peeled, another half-peeled, and another unpeeled. Someone is invited to take one without looking, and what they take determines how their financial year will be: peeled (without money), half-half, or very prosperous.

Putting Coins in Shoes

Where? Across Latin America

Well, surely you have some coins, at least! This tradition pops up in Portugal, Spain, and many Latin American countries. Put a coin or two in your shoe before midnight on New Year's Eve, and (in some countries at least) use it to make your first purchase of 2026 to ensure a year of financial security

Jumping in the Ocean

Where? Brazil

There seems to be something particularly cleansing about the ocean, or at least that would explain why it makes so many appearances in New Year's traditions. In Brazil, people welcome a year by jumping over seven waves, making a wish with each leap, as an offering to the sea goddess Yemanjá.

What Americans Should Know In 2025

While American travelers might find a relatable Christmas atmosphere in the Spanish-speaking world, including Christmas trees, Santa Claus (called Papá Noel), and sometimes fake snow, there are plenty of traditions that will surprise them beyond just warm weather in December. Here are a few main things to remember:

1. Christmas Eve is the main celebration. That's right, December 24 is the big one, so be ready that day for dinners that stretch late into the night and many lively festivities.

2. Nativity Scenes are central. While the Christmas tree takes center stage in many parts of the world, the Belén is often more prominent in Latin America.

3. Embrace music, dancing, and games. Latin American celebrations are a joyful celebration, with each family holding their own traditions on how to celebrate Christmas, New Year's, and beyond.

4. New Year's can be deeply meaningful. While for some it's just switching to a new calendar, be aware that New Year's can be important in deep ways to certain people.

5. Many of these traditions vary widely from country to country. While you may have heard some people swallow grapes at midnight, it's worth being aware that even from household to household, there can be big differences.

Many Latin America and Spanish celebrations are regional, but throughout all regions there is an emphasis on family, communal gatherings, and unique customs. For example, many countries celebrate La Novena, a nine-night festivity before Christmas filled with prayer, music and traditional food. Besides the familiar Christmas tree, Hispanic households will feature the Nacimiento or Belén, a Nativity scene that integrates the religious significance of the holiday and involves the whole family in creating the centerpiece for the celebrations. 

Beyond Christmas, December 28th is Día de los Inocentes, a day of pranks and laughter, akin to April Fools’ Day. And New Year’s Eve brings plenty of superstitious rituals—like wearing yellow underwear for prosperity, eating 12 grapes at midnight for luck, running with a suitcase for travel, or burning effigies to cast out negativity. These traditions highlight a blend of joy, hope, and communal participation, often with a dose of humor and superstition. 

In short, in Latin America the holidays are a time where food, family, and fun are just as important as faith and reflection . 

Holiday Phrase Guide