This year, my husband and I traveled to San Juan, Argentina to celebrate Christmas with his family.
Although I grew up Jewish, when my mother started dating my stepfather (who is Christian), we celebrated Christmas in addition to Hanukkah. Like most families in the U.S., we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day.
In Argentina, and all over Latin America, however, people predominantly celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. In San Juan, everything shuts down by early evening. The local police driving around to ensure that bars and cafes are closing shop. By dusk, the streets are quiet, aside from people in their Christmas best, meeting loved ones or praying in Church.
La Nochebuena de San Juan
With my husband’s family, we gathered at his cousin’s house for a late dinner close to ten.
Three generations greeted each other. We poured drinks (from the standard Argentinian mix of red and white wine, Coca-Cola, Sprite and bubbly water). Then we sat down for dinner at a large table that has been in the family for 100+ years.
Martin’s cousins served dishes upon dishes of typical Argentinian (and San Juan) food. Salad of cheese cubes and shredded carrot, potato salad (Ensalada Rusa), beet salad, pickled eggplant (Escabeche – Argentinians love to pickle things!), chicken with vegetables and tomato, chicken stuffed with pork and pineapple, roasted pork, beef tongue (Lengua), beef with tuna sauce (Vitel toné), olive and tuna pastes, vegetable and ham and cheese sandwiches, and beef empanadas. Everything homemade.
After a couple hours, we cleared dinner and the hostesses served dessert round one. Mantecol (aka peanut butter meets halva – yum!), marroc chocolate (another delicious Argentinian candy), chocolate chip Budín (or bread pudding), and chocolate candies similar to M&Ms.
A little before midnight, Martin’s cousin poured dry champagne into flutes that sat on the table, and a countdown ensued. 3-2-1, Feliz Navidad! At midnight, we gave each other cheers, hugs and kisses on the cheek. Fireworks went off nearby and in the distance. We took family photos and continued to enjoy our drinks.
To round out the night, Martin’s cousin served dessert round two – homemade fruit salad and tiramisu – with a sweet champagne. We talked into the early morning hours.
The next day, we gathered in the late afternoon for a lunch of leftovers and quality time.
It was a Christmas to remember.