Socialising 85the words are as follows: “Cumpleaños Feliz; Te deseamos a ti;
Cumpleaños (insert name); Que los cumplas feliz.”
Saint’s Day
In addition to birthdays, many Chileans celebrate their
Saint’s Day. Each saint is honoured on a certain day of
the year according to the Catholic calendar and Chileans
celebrate the day of the Saint for whom they are named.
This practice is kept mainly by older Chileans. However,
Chileans named after very popular saints, such as Pedro
(Peter) and Pablo (Paul) celebrate their Saint’s Day regardless
of their age. Those who observe their Saint’s Day do so in
a manner similar to that of celebrating a birthday. There
are cakes and presents at a small party or family gathering.
Although the law in Chile requires only a civil ceremony, many couples do
not consider themselves truly married until after the religious ceremony.