Enjoying the Culture 173Christmas, like most holidays, is family oriented with an
emphasis on children. Families attend midnight mass,
and open presents on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day
families gather for an asado or spend the day at the beach.
It is traditional to serve pan de pascua (Christmas Bread),
which, unlike fruit cake in the US, is devoured immediately,
and cola de mono, a Christmas liqueur.
New Year’s Eve
At the end of December, the city of Valparaíso celebrates the
Cultural Carnival. Known as the Cultural Capital of Chile, the
city fills up with artists, performers and tourists. For about
a week you can enjoy music, dance, film and theatre. The
events culminate with a spectacular fireworks display on
New Year’s Eve. At midnight, fireworks light up the skies
throughout the country, but the show that explodes over the
Pacific Ocean in Valparaíso is the most spectacular.
New Year’s Eve is a very festive occasion. It takes place
in the middle of the summer and is celebrated with asados
(barbeques) and family gatherings. Some people spend
this holiday at the beach. At the stroke of midnight, while
the fireworks are exploding overhead, Chileans embrace to
wish each other Happy New Year, Feliz Año Nuevo or simply
Feliz Año. Never wish a Chilean Happy New Year in advance
because it is considered unlucky. Many people will eat a
spoonful of lentils for good luck. Others put money and bus
or plane tickets in their pockets to ensure wealth and travel
in the coming year. After celebrating the stroke of midnight
with family, many people set out to visit friends until the wee
hours of the morning.
MUSIC FESTIVALS
Summers seem to be filled with holidays and festivals. The
Festival de la Canción de Viña del Mar is one of the most
important popular music festivals in the Spanish-speaking
world. It takes place every year in the seaside resort town of
Viña del Mar, not far from Santiago. It is primarily a contest
for up-and-coming singers, yet is well known for the big name
international artists who headline the festival. The audience is