The True Meaning of the Holiday Season in Costa Rica
- Dennis J. Easters
- Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
- +506-8854-7721
By late October, the Christmas season begins to take hold in Costa Rica. Across the country, homes fill with decorations and shops sparkle with lights, tempting shoppers to spend their hard-earned colones.
Here in Atenas, the countryside pace is more relaxed. The dry season has arrived, bringing breezy days and bright blue skies. Coffee harvesting is in full swing, and in small towns and villages, decorations are displayed with a charming twist — many families place their Christmas trees right on the front porch.
Holiday Traditions
In Costa Rica, the two weeks between Christmas and New Year’s are special. Families take their annual vacations, spend time together, and flock to the beaches. Tamales and fruitcakes are made and exchanged among neighbors, and conversations with friends in the street last just a little longer.
Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day, holds the most significance. Families gather for dinner, share tamales and drinks, dance, and watch fireworks. Gifts are exchanged, though often modest — sometimes homemade, sometimes just one meaningful item. One year, I received a simple bath towel, and to this day, I still use it.
Almost every family has a nativity scene (portal) prominently displayed in their home. Before midnight on December 24th, the manger is empty — the Christ child cannot be placed until Christmas Eve officially arrives. In Gerardo’s family, when the clock strikes twelve, his father carries the baby Jesus around the room for each family member and friend to kiss before gently laying Him in the manger. It’s a moving and cherished tradition.
Finding the Spirit of Christmas
Living in Costa Rica has reminded me of the true meaning of the holidays. Here, the season is less about presents and more about sharing time, food, and joy with one another. My mother and I still make the Christmas treats we’ve always enjoyed, but what makes them special is sharing them with our friends and neighbors.
This past year, one of the best gifts we received was welcoming new neighbors, John and Gay Boggs, who moved to Atenas in September and experienced their first Costa Rican Christmas. Gay wrote me a note that beautifully captured the essence of the season, which I’d like to share:
Ramón y Feliz Navidad
There is a kind, gentle man who cares for our little community — Ramón. Each morning, he greets us with a cheerful “¡BUENAS días!” His days are spent tending the soil, planting, harvesting, and taking pride in the fruits of his labor.
Ramón lives simply in a small cottage at the entrance to our community. Though the owner has offered to improve it, Ramón prefers his hammock and outdoor cooking over a fire. We often see corn drying in his yard, destined to become tamales and tortillas.
The road to our homes is lined with hibiscus on one side and corn on the other. Ramón often shares his bounty with us — enormous ears of corn and fresh beans that taste better than anything store-bought. On Christmas Day, he appeared at our door with a bag of freshly cooked chorreadas (corn pancakes). It was the simplest, most heartfelt gift — and the best one we could have received.
Our first Christmas in our new home was filled with blessings: Ramón’s kindness, the orange fruitcake, lasagna, and other treats our neighbors shared, and the joy of being part of a welcoming community. Truly, the spirit of Christmas is alive here.
Costa Rica has a way of bringing us back to what matters most: family, friendship, community, and gratitude. And that, more than anything else, is the true meaning of the holiday season.
Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo — may the coming year bring joy, peace, and new adventures!
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Dennis Easters
Real Estate Broker
+506-8854-7721
Dennis@pldatenasrealty.com
