In Colombia, the holiday season doesn’t start with Black Friday deals or an inflatable Santa. Nope, it starts with something way better: fire. This weekend, on December 7, Colombians lit up their lives (literally) with the Día de las Velitas, a celebration so beautiful and heartwarming that even the Grinchiest among us would melt with holiday warmth. But here’s the twist: while Velitas is a beloved Colombian tradition, its origins began miles away.
What Is Velitas?
Dia de Las Velitas marks the official start of Christmas in Colombia every year. It’s a nationwide candle-lighting tradition rooted in Catholicism, honoring the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
“On the Day of the Candles, families light candles in front of their houses, place colored lanterns as decoration and make wishes for the year that is about to begin,” El Pais explains. “Although the celebration has a religious origin, it is common for even non-believers to participate in the lighting of candles in the company of their loved ones.”
Velitas dates back to 1854, when Pope Pius IX officially proclaimed a Catholic feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. According to New York Latin Culture Magazine, “Catholics all over the world lit candles in anticipation of the proclamation. Día de las Velitas commemorates this moment.”
And Colombians turned it into an annual tradition. Fast-forward to today, and it’s less about dogma and more about togetherness, gratitude.
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“In towns and cities such as Villa de Leyva, Medellín, Corrales (Boyacá) and Quimbaya (Quindío), the Day of the Candles is celebrated with more enthusiasm, attracting hundreds of national and international tourists,” the Spanish outlet El Pais writes. “The essence of the celebration has remained intact over time, however, in recent years the celebration has been evolving, and it is now common for the candles to be accompanied by drawings or messages, sometimes of a political nature.”
Candles, Christmas, and Canelazo
The festivities don’t stop at lighting candles. These are just some Colombian classics served up during the holiday season:
- Buñuelos – fried cheese balls
- Natilla – a creamy custard
- Tamales – masa and fillings wrapped in banana leaves
- Canelazo – a warm cinnamon-spiced rum drink
Are you looking to add extra meaning, and a whole lot of warmth, to your holiday season this year? Why not take a cue from Colombia and light up your December with your own velitas?
