Christmas in Ecuador

Christmas in Ecuador is a purely family and religious festival, it is the most important celebration of the year, as all families try to meet at dinner on December 24 where it is usual to eat turkey or pork main course and dessert pristine which rings are fried wheat flour dough, topped with brown sugar syrup.Christmas night, at 24h00, the gifts previously brought "Santa Claus" for children and adults are divided, they generally found under the Christmas tree and delivered by one of those present.In some houses one of the adults is disguised as Santa Claus and comes with gifts in a sack and distributed. That tradition was common in the sixties and seventies.For being a Catholic country Ecuador, a very special activity is the development of births or Bethlehem, and Prayer Novena of Baby Jesus that takes place every night from December 16.This is a deeply rooted and families pray at their respective homes the eight days preceding the Noche Buena (24). That day, corresponding to the last of the ninth, they pray at home where they are to celebrate the dinner.Another custom is still kept some families have blocked the Child Jesus, during the days before the Dec. 24, thereby simulating birth, which is what is celebrated.Groups are also organized to pray the novena, performing every day in a different group home, the children sing Christmas carols accompanied by small musical instruments.One popular children's activity is the "letter to the Child Jesus, to be written by children at least a month before Christmas and where they report having behaved properly, so include a list of things they would like Christmas Day.