Catholicism set foot strongly from the very beginning of the colonization of Ibero-America in the 15th century. Under the Royal Patronage, an agreement between the Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish Crown by which the Spanish King had total control over the Americas, religious orders settled down in the New World to convert the native populations and assure conformity of thought with the Spanish Crown. The clergy included religious orders such as Dominicans, Franciscans, and Jesuits, whose work permeated every aspect of life.  Religious conversion was a highly complex and problematic historical process, marked by conflict and violence as well as by adaptation and cultural amalgamation. The resulting influence of Catholicism on local cultures ran so deep that it still persists today.

Although in apparent decline -today, 69% of Latin Americans identify as Catholic compared to 90% back in the 1970s, according to Pew Research Center-, and adapted to local practices, Catholicism is still the predominant religion in Ibero-America.

So it comes as no surprise how Catholic celebrations are still observed so massively and, in many cases, Ibero-American countries share traditions and customs.

From Mexico down to the Southern Cone -except Cuba, where Christmas celebrations were banned in 1969, the image of snowy landscapes and a fully clothed Santa with fur cuffs, a hat, and leather boots, contradict the warm weather that encompasses Christmas celebrations. However, the spirit is alive and manifests itself enthusiastically in many ways.

In most Ibero-America, it is almost inconceivable to spend Christmas without a tree, although it was only a few decades ago, back in 1982, when the Vatican embraced the tradition of a Christmas tree under the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.

Contrary to the U.S. tradition, artificial Christmas trees are most common in Ibero-America.  In varied colors, green, white, golden, silver, and even blue-, they usually decorate the houses inside with Nativity scenes, called pesebres or nacimientos, that play a central role to remind us of the incarnation of the Word.

The Advent season is usually respected, and Christmas ambient and mood can be widely felt since the beginning of December. In Argentina, for instance, Christmas preparations start on the 8th of December, the day of the Immaculate Conception with the set up of the Christmas tree and colorful lights; and ends on the 5th of January, with the visit of the Three Magi when the tree is taken down. In Mexico, it is considered that the Christmas season really begins on the 12th of December, which is the day of the patron saint of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe. The Posadas are processions that take place between the 16th of December  and the 24th of December  and represent Joseph and Mary looking for a place to stay to give birth. Full of color and carols, these processions are led by children dressed as angels and culminate with Mass and animal-shaped piñatas, which children break open with sticks for candy and toys to fall.

On Christmas Eve, called Nochebuena, families get together for dinner and typically share panettones for dessert. In Chile, for example, people like to eat Asado -a kind of barbecue- together with the popular Colemono drink, which is a must. The Colemono is made of aguardiente, milk, sugar, and cloves. In Perú, the Chocolatadas is a custom that started with the intention of communion with the most disadvantaged. For dinner, Peruvians like to have roast turkey or pork with apple mash and also smashed sweet potatoes and Arab rice as side dishes. They prepare the sweet potato mash with sugar and cinnamon. Christmas Arab rice includes raisins, almonds, broth, angel hair pasta, and of course, rice.

Midnight Mass, or Misa de Gallo as it is called in Ibero-America, used to be at midnight, and it is still observed. However, now it takes place mostly at 9:00 or 10:00 pm.

Fireworks used to be expected and customary in the past -and still are-, but more and more are currently being banned for safety reasons.

In Mexico, where the image of Santa Claus has become more popular since the mid-20th century, children call him Santa Clos, which is understood by all and spelled in Spanish. Argentinians, Ecuadorians, Uruguayans, and Paraguayans call him Papá Noel -from the French Père Noël; Chileans, Viejo Pascuero; and Costa Ricans, Colacho.

No matter how Santa is called, everyone awaits to open their presents at midnight under the tree and next to baby Jesus. •