Festivals in Venezuela

Festivals in Venezuela
Festivals in Venezuela bring color and fun to the country and lets the Venezuelans enjoy their culture and heritage.
Festivals of Venezuela are celebrated in a grand way by the Venezuelans with high spirit. The country is well
decorated and lit up. People spend their holidays during the Festival in Venezuela, with their family and friends.
Important Venezuelan Festivals
The Procession of the Holy Shepherdess
Carnival in Venezuela
La Paradura del Nino
Drumming Feast of St. John
May Cross Celebrations
Festivals in Venezuela, which are completely based on the tradition of the Venezuelans, are enjoyed even in the
present day. Festival Venezuela attracts a great number of tourists from all over the world.
Carnival in Venezuela
Carnival in Venezuela is celebrated in the month of February forty days before the Easter Sunday every year. It is
one of the most popular festivals in Venezuela. Venezuela Carnival is celebrated in the most grand way in the coastal
towns and villages than any part of the country. During the Carnival, Venezuela is lit up and decorated. People play
with balloons filled with water instead of air and throw them at each other. Carnival of Venezuela continues for four
days when people indulge in wearing new outfits.

El Callao is the best and most popular Carnival in Venezuela. It also attracts a great number of tourists from far and
wide. Initiated in 1853, El Callao, which was called as Caratal in the earlier days, is celebrated universally, when
people meet their family and friends. Carnival in Venezuela is celebrated with music and festivity. Carnival in
Venezuela, being the most important of all occasions is celebrated just like Christmas or any other big festival.

Christmas: In Venezuela, Christmas is celebrated with a
number of religious and traditional customs. As a predominantly
Catholic country, Christmas festivities celebrate the birth of the
child Jesus. The religious celebrations begin on the 16
th
of
December with masses said every morning until December 24
th
,
when the religious service is held at midnight (Misa de Gallo).
The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, Noche
Buena, as it is called in Spanish. Families get together to enjoy the
traditional holiday meal: hallacas, pan de jamn, dulce de
lechoza. The pan de jamn is a long bread filled with cooked ham
and raisins. The dulce de lechoza is a dessert made of green
papaya and brown sugar, slowly cooked for hours and served cold.
Many homes put up a Christmas tree but the most authentic
Venezuelan custom is to display a nacimiento (Nativity scene). A
more sophisticated nacimiento is the pesebre. This represents an
entire region with mountains, hills, plains and valleys. The central
point is a replica of the manger at Bethlehem. The structure is a
framework covered with canvas and painted accordingly. Often, the
pesebre becomes a real work of art.
On December 25 children awake to find their gifts around the
Nacimiento or the Christmas tree. Tradition has it that it is the
Child Jesus who brings gifts to the Venezuelan children instead of
Santa Claus, as is it the belief in the United States,
Music plays an important role in the celebrations. The
traditional songs of this period are called aguinaldos. In the old
days the aguinalderos (singers of aguinaldos) would go from home
to home singing their songs and playing traditional instruments
such as the cuatro (a small, four strings guitar), the maracas
(rattle) and the furruco (a small, elongated drum with a wooden
stick in the middle. The movement of the stick slightly indented on
the drums leather is what produces the sound).
The Christmas festivities come to an official closing on January
6, the Day of the Reyes Magos (the three wise kings who came to
visit Mary and the infant Jesus), when children again receive toys
and candies. Christmas is, above all, the main holiday during which
Venezuelan families get together and rejoice.
In Venezuela, Christmas is celebrated with a number of religious and traditional
customs. As a predominantly Catholic country, Christmas festivities celebrate the birth
of the child Jesus. The religious celebrations begin on the 16th of December with
masses said every morning until December 24th, when the religious service is held at
midnight (Misa de Gallo).
The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, "Noche Buena" as it is called in
Spanish. Families get together to enjoy the traditional holiday meal: "hallacas," "pan de
jamn," "dulce de lechoza." The pan de "jamn" is a long bread filled with cooked ham
and raisins. The "dulce de lechoza" is a dessert made of green papaya and brown
sugar, slowly cooked for hours and served cold.
Many homes put up a Christmas tree but the most authentic Venezuelan custom is to
display a nacimiento (Nativity scene). A more sophisticated nacimiento is the pesebre.
This represents an entire region with mountains, hills, plains and valleys. The central
point is a replica of the manger at Bethlehem. The structure is a framework covered with
canvas and painted accordingly. Often, the pesebre becomes a real work of art.
On December 25 children awake to find their gifts around the Nacimiento or the
Christmas tree. Tradition has it that it is the Child Jesus who brings gifts to the
Venezuelan children instead of Santa Claus.
The Christmas festivities come to an official closing on January 6, the Day of the Reyes
Magos (the three wise kings who came to visit Mary and the infant Jesus), when
children again receive toys and candies. Christmas is, above all, the main holiday
during which Venezuelan families get together and rejoice.
Music plays an important role in the celebrations. The traditional songs of this period are
called aguinaldos. In the old days the aguinalderos (singers of aguinaldos) would go
from home to home singing their songs and playing traditional instruments such as the
cuatro (a small, four strings guitar), the maracas (rattle) and the furruco (a small,
elongated drum with a wooden stick in the middle. The movement of the stick slightly
indented on the drums leather is what produces the sound).

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