Christmas in Latin America: context and tips for better ads

Christmas in Latin America is marked by traditions and festivities that vary according to the cultural heritage and customs of each nation. However, it can be said that most of the celebrations resemble those associated with Spanish and Catholic ceremonies.

In the vast majority of nations around the world, the essence of Christmas remains the same: it is a mostly Christian date that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and is a special time for reflection and celebration.

To better understand how Christmas traditions in Latin America work, we will delve into the culture of select countries across the region, examining in detail how the celebrations differ and resemble each other.

As we’ve seen, most Christmas celebrations in Latin American countries resemble Hispanic and Christian customs. Despite the growth of evangelism on the region, most Latin American nations are still predominantly Catholic.

As a result, festivities in countries like Argentina, Brazil and Peru typically feature the Mass of the Rooster, a Catholic tradition celebrated on Christmas Eve, which starts at midnight on the 24th – 25th of December.

In Mexico, for example, Catholic families sing and make a toast to the Christ-child at midnight. Another Mexican custom during this time of year is the posadas: between the 16th and 24th of December, Mexican families take turns reenacting the pilgrimage of Mary and St. Joseph.

In Colombia, the faithful hold ceremonies for the Immaculate Conception, pray the rosary, sing religious songs, and perform novenas during almost the entire month of December.

And while some countries usually link the figure of Santa Claus to the act of giving and receiving gifts, Colombian children write letters to the Christ-child asking for their favorite presents.

Christmas decorations

One common feature throughout Latin America are Christmas decorations, strongly influenced by Anglo-Saxon traditions. The entire region is lit up with Christmas lights.

The vast majority of these arrangements and decorations feature a Christmas tree, a Nativity crib, Santa and his reindeer, twinkling lights, snowmen, stars, garlands and more.

The main cities of the region, such as Medellín, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Cuzco, and Punta del Este, stand out for their elaborate decorations and illuminations during this period.

Typical Meals

Christmas is officially celebrated on December 25, but in most Latin American countries families have a big Christmas Eve supper on December 24. Many extend the celebrations into the next day as well, with a lunch made up of leftovers from the night before.

Each country’s cuisine differs according to its cultural customs; here are some of the typical dishes which each nation prepares for Christmas dinner.

• Brazil: rabanada, turkey and/or chester, cod, pavê, dried fruits, salpicão, panettone, mixed nuts and chestnuts;
• Argentina: stuffed chicken or turkey, roast beef, toné vite, stuffed eggs, fruit salad, ice cream, sweet bread, nougat, almonds;
• Peru: hot chocolate, turkey, panettone, apple puree, pork and stuffed sweet bread;
• Colombia: buñuelos, rice pudding, turkey, natilla and arroz con leche and hojaldras; 
• Mexico: turkey, apple salad, codfish, romeritos, punch and buñuelos.

While in Latin America Christmas is commonly celebrated during the night of Christmas Eve, in the United States the date is celebrated on the 25th, with a family lunch as the centrepiece of the day.

It is worth remembering that Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere takes place during winter, so all the traditions refer to the cold, and especially snow. Decoration is taken very seriously here, with most houses decorated with lights, snowmen, lit-up reindeer, and Santa Claus on the porch.

The traditions of American Christmas are not as  closely linked to Christian habits, and the most prominent Christmas figure is Santa Claus. Children usually leave cookies and a glass of milk for Santa Claus near the Christmas tree or fireplace, in anticipation of his delivery of presents.

North American Christmas traditions

• The Christmas tree is usually a real pine tree;
• Many movie and music productions are created especially for this time of year;
• Another American custom is the Christmas choir, always played in stores, restaurants and malls throughout the month of December;
• For supper, Americans usually have turkey, roast ham, cranberry syrup, mashed potatoes, eggnog (a drink made from milk, egg, sugar and nutmeg) and, of course, Christmas cookies;

Despite the obvious differences in the way of celebrating, Christmas has the same meaning all over the world. One of the most emblematic traditions of this date is the exchanging of gifts.

It is a common habit to give presents to family members, friends, spouses, and co-workers. For this reason, Christmas is one of the dates which is most anticipated by the physical and electronic commerce sector.

In Brazil, for example, Christmas 2022 is due to inject R$ 66.6 billion into the economy, according to a survey conducted by CNDL and SPC Brasil. It is worth remembering that today e-commerce has become one of the main channels for consumer purchases.

So if you want to improve your communication, leverage your sales and run effective Christmas campaigns for Latin America, pay attention to these tips:

1. Focus on Message development

To produce an effective campaign, it is necessary to thoroughly plan your message development, considering the most relevant pillars and customs of your target audience.

Now that you know all about the Christmas symbolism and traditions in Latin America, it is important to build a relationship between these customs and your business niche.

The targeting of these messages should be based on creating a possible connection between you and your customers, so it is necessary to highlight the added value of your brand.

2. Social media engagement

Using social media to promote your Christmas campaign is a basic recipe for success. But before planning your posts, it is important to invest in content localisation – translating, adjusting and adapting the message in question so that the target audiences identify with it.

Do some research on the social networks most used by Latin American countries, and identify key local strategies in order to make your content go viral, and get your message across to the target audience.

It is also important to optimize your customer service channels, since today many people choose to make purchases directly through social networks. Besides sales, you can generate traffic, attract new customers, and improve the relationship with your followers.

3. Digital Marketing 

Investing in Digital Marketing is essential, especially when working with e-commerce. Certain strategies, such as SEO and paid traffic, can help you attract new audiences and increase brand awareness.

Other means such as email marketing, landing pages and influencer marketing can all increase your audience and visibility, ensuring greater contact with potential customers.

4. Hire local agencies

If you want to avoid rookie mistakes, hiring a Marketing and PR Agency in Latin America is the best solution for your business. A locally-based agency can help you with all issues related to your communication strategies.

In addition to message development, the agency can create a bridge to establish a relationship between your brand and local communication channels, making your campaign even more authentic and accurate.

Before you make a decision, it is important to analyse what the main objective of your campaign is and outline all the feasible ways to achieve your goals, while promoting creative and authentic work. 

If you would like to know more about how foreign companies can communicate assertively in Latin America, keep reading our blog posts to learn more from our experts.