I will never forget my first Christmas in Chile. The Mercury registered 32 C (94 F) at 2pm. Here I sat, alone, feeling like it was the Fourth of July. All the festivities had happened the previous night. Presents, late night multi-course dinner, undisclosed amounts of a dangerous, creamy drink called colo de mono, similar to a White Russian, made with firewater, spices, milk, and sugar. Everybody was obviously sleeping off the hangover and then heading to the pool, or park, to soak up some rays, rest in the balmy shade, and play with all the new toys.

That about sums up Christmas in Chile. It’s an all-or-nothing go on the 24th. Not a real sense of the “Holiday season”, at least what I grew up with in Pennsylvania. But then again, here it is the end of the school year, end of the fiscal year, beginning of summer so Christmas is a detail between these events and the new year.

Last year, heavy with nostalgia for the white Christmas of my childhood with visions of sugarplums, stockings, and snow dancing in my head, we went to visit my Dad in my hometown of Lancaster. I conjured up some snow with help from the universe, about 12 inches to be exact. The houses twinkled. The hearth glowed. I drank cocoa, ate a few cookies, and delighted in the cozy atmosphere. But damn, it was really cold. Dark too. Try 4:35pm sunset to be exact. Around December 25th at sundown, I was officially nostalgic for Chile’s Christmas. How could that be?

I realized I am no longer a cold weather nor snow person, I never have been really. I wanted that toasty hug from the warm summer sun. I craved daylight until 10pm. I had an intense hankering for my stuffed fresh figs and a bowl of cherries. I wanted to go out for walk without skidding on a patch of ice or bundling up in a parka.  I had had enough of Wham’s Last Christmas playing e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Just like Ebenzer Scrooge, I realized I had been idealizing in my own mind my notions of Christmas past. That was over. That was no longer my reality. After ten years in Chile, this was no longer how I envisioned nor conceived Christmas. And I was ok with that. Finally.

So for all of you with icicles hanging off your noses and sleighing down fluffy white hills, here’s what Christmas deliciously tastes and feels like in the Southern Hemisphere: summertime, summertime, summertime.

Santa Claus Looks Ridiculous

While the Northern Europe and American version of Christmas is exported all over the world as the “nostalgic” white Christmas, let’s face it, Santa Claus looks totally ridiculous with all his heavy clothing and beard. He’s still the iconic figure of Christmas here, even though as a heavily Catholic country there is sufficient religious imagery, I propose they make him more realistic for the local vibe and get the poor dude a pair of shorts and a miseltoe t-shirt. The Aussies often depict him on the beach. Beard and hat, ok, I will buy that but come on Santa, strip it!

Trade in those Sugary Holiday Sweets for Fruit

You got it. December officially kicks off the estación de la fruta when fruit outnumbers vegetables 10:1. I can hardly control my excitement with every visit to La Vega. Strawberries are nearly given away by my caseros. Blueberries, raspberries, the beginning of big, plump blackberries (like in Oregon), nectarines, peaches, blushed apricots, fresh figs, and the holy grail of fruit, for me at least, cherries. Three different kinds of cherries: Reiner, Bing, and Black. Seriously, who needs cookies, chocolates, and eggnog when I can sink my teeth into these fruit bonbons bursting with such intense flavor? Also keep in mind that the days are in the mid-80s, dry and sunny, so the body is not going into hibernation mode. It is begging for water and healthy, vitalizing foods. And yep, everybody is working on their beach body (hint: cookies DON’T help).

Pan de Pascua vs. Christmas Cookies

And as you may have guessed, Chileans don’t bake for the holidays. Who wants to be in a blazing kitchen with this heat? And who has the time with all the end-of-year business happening? Nope, they head to their local panadería or pastelería, bakery, to procure the ubiquituous pan de pascua, Christmas bread. It is usually served during the entire month of December with onces, high tea, or the above-mentioned colo de mono drink for a death-by-sugar and alcohol duo. While some people translate this as a fruit cake, it is more in line with the Italian pannettone or German stollen.

December 24th: All or Nothing

One of the things I appreciate in Chile is the lack of commercialism surrounding Christmas like in the US. The Holiday shopping is not jammed down people’s throats to the extent of the US. I was flabbergasted on my trip in mid-November up north to see the malls already decorated (Pier 1 big offender) and encouraging people to buy, buy, buy. While certainly this year, on a house-decorating trip to the mall, I was floored by the increase in Christmas decor, it still doesn’t feel as overwhelming to me as a whole. Maybe I am just not invited to that many parties.

Christmas is really a one shot deal on the 24th. Everybody works until about 4-5pm and then heads home to have a manic present-wrapping session. Dinner is late-ish, usually anywhere from 10-midnight, especially for the Mass crowd. Around midnight, a bell rings and the viejito pasquero, literally old Man Christmas (a.k.a. Old Saint Nic, Papa Noel, or Santa Claus), makes a visit with his presents in tow. Nobody ever sees him, of course. Presents are then opened and played with until the wee hours of the morning.

Who has a pool?

December 25th feels more like a Sunday than a celebratory Holiday. Kids roll up in the afternoon on their shiny new bicycles. Parents camp out on blankets and picnic with leftover pan de pascua while watching their kids delight in their new toys. If you’re on the coast (like we will be this year), people head for the beach. In the past, I have sought out the company of my lucky friends with a pool. Ahh, nothing says a Christmas in Chile like sunbathing with an icy pisco sour in your hand. Personally, this year my husband and I will be doing just that by Casa Higueras’ infinity pool in Valparaíso.

Feliz Navidad a todos. Merry Christmas to all.

Thanks to Juan Leonel for gorgeously capturing Santiago’s Plaza de Armas and the huge Coca-Cola Christmas tree at night; and Manwithpez for Santa on a beach.