Christmas is just a few days away. Can you believe it? And Nochebuena, on December 24, the main event for so many of us? Well, it’s even closer. It feels like Thanksgiving was only yesterday, and now we’re diving headfirst into the happiest day of the year. My Abuela was right. El tiempo vuela.
Growing up, Nochebuena was THE holiday. It still is. Maybe it’s because I’m Latina. Or maybe because, as an only child, my parents would turn our home into a festive wonderland for one magical day. For millions of Latinos, Nochebuena is everything.
An Unforgettable Nochebuena
My mom had a talent for turning the simplest things into unforgettable traditions. She’d order a lechón asado, moros, and yucca from Sedano’s (If you know, you know. It’s the gold standard of Latin supermarkets in Miami). And when she was really feeling it, she’d throw in an arroz imperial which always seemed fancy to me. The days leading up to Christmas Eve were a blur of Christmas carols — Nat King Cole and Celia Cruz on repeat — and unwrapping a special pair of pajamas to dive into the feast and presents.
Now, if you’ve been blessed (or voluntold) to host your family’s Nochebuena this year, you might be feeling the pressure. What decorations will wow everyone? What dishes will satisfy your cousins? And how will you dodge that inevitable question from your tias about when you’re finally getting a novio?
Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with everything you need to host a Nochebuena that will go down in family history. Let’s dive in and make this the most magical night of the year!
Deck the Halls Like a Pro
When it comes to setting the right Christmas mood, there’s not much to mess up. As long as you throw a good amount of red and green everywhere, it’ll scream festive – but there are ways to do it tastefully, too. In order to get a better sense of what you like,
I think the best place to start is Pinterest. Create a mood board of your very own pins by making searches like “nochebuena party” or “christmas hosting ideas” – and here you’ll find truly beautiful images of homemade punch bowls, place settings, charcuterie boards, and Christmas decor to use for inspiration.
Family Feast Mode: Activated
This is perhaps the most important moment of the night (aside from opening gifts and honoring baby Jesus, of course). But if you want to get the family feast right, there’s a few ways of going about this.
For Puerto Ricans and Cubans, a good pernil or lechon asado (pork roast) will likely be the center of your dining table. For the families that really get into it, you might have your dad or your tio set up the caja China for a whole lechon in the backyard. For Mexicans, bacalao a la Vizcaina will probably be the star of the show.
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And you can set up a tamale making station for the kids to help you get some of the food ready, while also making it a fun time-passing activity. For sides: consider yucca with garlic mojo, beans, rice, and more to really fill everyone’s plates and stomachs. And of course you wouldn’t want to forget dessert … so finding a recipe for a Christmas spin on flan, arroz con leche, or turron is the way to go.
Hit Play on the Perfect Playlist
Music is arguably just as important as the food and decor. It quite literally sets the tone of the party – with slower Christmas carols most likely setting up your family for a calm Nochebuena dinner. A good salsa mix always gets everyone up and on their feet after too much coquito or mojitos. Either way, you’re going to need the right vibe, and there’s plenty of inspiration you can find on Spotify to get you going. For a bit of a remix on the Latin Christmas classics, consider a Spotify “Feliz Navidad” playlist, which might give you a new appreciation for the tracks you’ve always loved growing up with your family.
The Magic of Misa
Perhaps the most important part of Nochebuena is the “noche” part – where your family and loved ones come together to enjoy each other’s time and honor all that the Christmas season brings. Nochebuena is not just about food and fun. It’s about togetherness. Wrap up the night with Misa de Gallo or heartfelt moments with loved ones. After all, the real gift of Nochebuena is the joy of being together.
