Latin America celebrates Christmas with a month of baby Jesus awesomeness

The World
Vladimir Ramirez, a former inmate dressed as Santa Claus, prepares to take part in the toy-distribution event "Santa va a la Carcel" (Santa Goes To Jail) in Caracas, Venezuela, December 19, 2010.

America really needs to up its Christmas game.

It just doesn't compare to Latin American countries. Think about it. While we celebrate for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas, some countries like Puerto Rico celebrate for more than a month. 

Sweet Baby Jesus. 

Santa isn't the only game in town, either. The Three Kings are the ones you care about. They're the ones who bring the gifts. People even leave grass out for the camels to eat. Because the kings ride camels. Another gift giver is Baby Jesus. Many write letters to the kid. He delivers. Sure, it's a little weird to ask a baby for gifts. But just roll with it.

Christmas in Latin America is fantastic. It's fun. And it makes me want to move south. 

Joanna Hausmann misses it. She's from Venezuela. She's Jewish. But it didn't stop her from celebrating. "I think I was the only Jewish girl who believed in Santa until she was like, 10," she says. 

For Hausmann, the holidays have come early this year, with the defeat of the leftist government in Venezuela.

"The Venezuelan people are celebrating today," she says. "I mean, I've been under this quote-unquote dictatorship since I was like 6 years old and this is the first time I am celebrating after an election."

For more on her view of Latin American holidays, check out her vid: Nine Crazy Latin American Traditions

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