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Christmas

Christmas 2024, 2025 and 2026

Christmas in Venezuela is celebrated with a public holiday every 25 December, as it is in a majority of countries around the world. However, unlike most other parts of the world, people in Venezuela also get an official holiday on Christmas Eve, too.

YearDateDayHoliday
202424 DecTueChristmas Eve
25 DecWedChristmas Day
202524 DecWedChristmas Eve
25 DecThuChristmas Day
202624 DecThuChristmas Eve
25 DecFriChristmas Day
202724 DecFriChristmas Eve
25 DecSatChristmas Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

This Christian festivity commemorates the birth of Jesus, and is part of a 22-28 day season in the Christian calendar known as Advent.

In Venezuela, Christmas is a time for, of all things, fireworks! There are many fireworks shows held all over the country. Many also go carolling and may listen to or play “Gaita” music, which is played with local instruments including the Cuatro, a four-stringed guitar.

It’s hard to get a pine tree in Venezuela, so most families use a plastic tree or have only a nativity scene.

Most are Roman Catholic and attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve to welcome the dawning of Christmas Day. There is a tradition in one church in Caracas where people rollerskate to church for midnight mass. They actually have to stop traffic on the streets to ensure skaters can get safely to and from church.

Christmas dinner is especially grand in Venezuela. There are many delicious local dishes like hallacas, which are a king of tamale filled with meat, olives, and raisins and boiled in plantain leaves. Pan de Jamon is a special pastry-like bread that is filled with ham and made into a roll. Leg-of-pork, called “pernil”, is also very popular.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHoliday
202324 DecSunChristmas Eve
25 DecMonChristmas Day
202224 DecSatChristmas Eve
25 DecSunChristmas Day