La Christmas It is a very special time to be away from home, on a trip, on vacation. Personally, I love spending the holidays in another country, in another culture. You always live differently. So, today, we ask ourselves about how Christmas is lived in the Caribbean and what the Christmas dinner in Cuba.
Cuba is a country with a Christian tradition, so we will surely find traditions very similar to the Spanish ones. Or not? Let's see.
Christianity in Cuba
Although there is great religious freedom on the island, the colony has left a strong Christian imprint on it. However, the slave trade from Africa has also produced an interesting and great religious syncretismSo there is a lot of African religiosity on the island.
This is seen, for example, in the practice of Santería, a cult of Afro-Cubans that in colonial times men and women brought from Africa had to practice in hiding.
Today, of course, this is not the case, and Santeria coexists with Catholicism. The Church says that a 60% of the Cuban population is Catholic. There are also Protestants, various churches, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists, just to name the most important creeds.
It is also true that from the Cuban Revolution religious practice was restricted and since then it was not very easy to practice any religion. Little by little, with the passing of the decades and world changes, this situation was changing and there was a certain reconciliation between the State and the Catholic Church in particular and religions in general.
Christmas in Cuba
When you think about the number of Christmases you have celebrated, the number of decorations, trees, lights and gifts you have seen in your life ... you wonder how it is that Christmas in Cuba is something of a relatively recent celebration. And yes, it is. And the reason has to do with what we have in the previous section. For a long time religion was, if not forbidden, not at all encouraged.
The truth is that most Cubans care little or nothing about New Year's Eve religious festivities. There are even those who are also a little resentful that for a time this part of Christmas is more present and is a commercial event more than religious. Both.
Christmas in the western world is no longer exclusively a moment of meeting, communion with the other and good feelings and wishes. For a long time, it has been going through gifts, expenses, purchases ... and in Cuba what is less abundant is money. So, there is a party that consumerism prompts you to celebrate but you don't have money for it. Bad equation.
But is it wrong to spend a Christmas without money? Of course not, it should always be like that, if you ask me. So what's good about it Christmas in Cuba is more about family reunion and spend some quality time with loved ones and friends than with the jealous exchange of gifts. So if you are looking for a non commercial christmas, Cuba is the indicated destination.
It has to be said that Today you see more Christmas spirit in the streets, with decorations and stuff. For example, in the popular Calle Obispo or in Old Havana in general garlands hang or Christmas trees and snowmen appear in stores. Outside of here, it is very rare to see decorations and not to mention parades or ceremonies of lighting of colored lights. Exchanging greetings with the neighbors? Either.
Some people place the Christmas tree in their homes but there may be no presents underneath and no gifts to exchange. Of course, whoever has a tree has a manger. You will not see Santa Claus anywhere, nor will you hear Christmas carols or see Christmas cards. Beyond the money being spent on something else, there is no custom.
Also, although it is a Catholic / Christian holiday those who practice Santeria usually spend those days with their family too. Despite the fact that today religion and the State are not fighting, the truth is that Catholicism has not been able to return to the number of faithful it had before the Revolution, nor does it have the money for parties, events and others, so the celebration is usually reduced to food with the family and the children not going to school.
The most important day is New Year's Eve, much more than Christmas, simply because it has always been celebrated and has never been prohibited. Later, within the Christian world, the most important moment is Christmas Eve, as it happens in many other Latin American countries. Much more than December 25, the night of the 24th is the moment where the family reunites and enjoy a Christmas dinner in Cuba.
Dinner is traditional Cuban food and the most common dish is pork. If the family is large, even the whole animal is cooked and it is usually served with fried plantains, vegetables and rice. You also eat suckling pig, roast pork with rice and black beans, plantains, croquettes ...
For dessert appears the rice or sweet potato pudding, flansometimes some chocolate cake well dipped in rum, the rum that is not drunk. Fundamentally it is about a party, getting together, eating, drinking, dancing, playing some fun games and spending the night.
What if, if there are gifts, they are opened after 12 at night. So everything starts around 9:10 p.m. with dinner, followed by dessert, music and talks, and ends sometime in the morning after opening the gifts and continuing the meeting.
But isn't there any kind of popular celebration? Yes, the Parrandas. December 24 is celebrated The parties, but they are not related to Christmas, they only fall on Christmas Eve and then they become more popular. The most popular are the Parrandas de Remedios, with fireworks and everything. And they are beautiful, so much so that UNESCO has included them in his list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
As you see, Christmas is not a bad time to go on a trip to Cuba. The world does not stop, as in other places, it is not commercial but very social. And Christmas dinner is very traditional so if you have the fortune to share it with a Cuban family, you will eat super well.