Joyous Holidays in Argentina

Joyous Holidays in Argentina

Photos by: Rikkia Hughes, Geronimo Giqueaux, Ezequiel Garrido, Nathana Reboucas.

There is a particular time of the year when celebrations with loved ones are global. It is the different traditions across countries and cultures that make festivities much more bonding and interesting to explore. Christmas in Argentina is the perfect excuse to visit this diverse destination, filled with superb surprises.

Traveling for the Holidays is an enriching experience. We are usually very much habituated to our own traditions for this particular time of the year that stepping into other ways can be a wonderful manner to shift perspective, re-ignite our values and spark our most sensitive feelings of communion.

Located in the southernmost extension of South America, Argentina is a country that hosts a diversity of climates and ecosystems, from mountains to vast beaches; rainforests to deserts; river estuaries to ice fields that run beyond eyesight. December, however, marks the beginning of summertime in the Southern hemisphere, which means that -except for the most austral areas where the cool South Pole breeze has the most influence- weather will be warm and sunny. Holidays with a bright sunshine and longer daylight may sound unimaginable to Northern-Hemisphere inhabitants, yet Argentina´s Christmas traditions offer a dazzling universe of Christmas lights to discover and surrender to.

Argentinians have a very social culture and friends are often considered an extension of each´s own family, which is why gatherings during festive times can find numerous people spending much heartfelt time together. Christmas Eve is most commonly spent with family (closer as well as extensive), and that day, dinner is the most important meal. Considering most Argentineans usually eat supper not earlier than 9 pm, get-togethers often extend far beyond 12 at night, when toasts and gift giving equal to celebration at its peak. On the other hand, New Year´s Eve is very commonly spent with friends. In cities, the party thrives for long after hours after the New Year is welcomed, in bars and private parties alike, including special events at some of the most exclusive hotels and properties.

Due to the extensive influence of European immigration which happened for decades (and centuries), traditional Holiday meals are hearty and involve many ingredients that may surprise you while in the aforementioned warmer weather. Dishes like grilled pork, roasted turkey, veal in anchovy and tuna gravy, confectionery as well as nougat and various confitures from the Old World Christmas traditions are part of Argentina´s Christmas foods in most homes and catering services alike.

Christmas in Argentina and New Year are great moments to enjoy traveling through the Country. The Northern and North-Central areas of the country offer a wealth of experiences during the summer months, so a carefully designed and tailored travel plan is recommended if visiting any of these provinces and destinations that are certainly unmissable. The magnificent Iguazu Falls -unlike any other in the world-, the boutique wineries in Salta, multi-colored mountains in Jujuy and the Ibera estuaries are breathtaking and most definitely fall within this category.

Other Southern provinces offer cool breezes and sunsets behind the Andes mountains. The superb Perito Moreno glacier in El Calafate, and the southernmost city in the world: Ushuaia, where the Andes meet the ocean are destinations that always build unique memories in travelers.  The lake-kissed alpine-like pine tree villages of Bariloche, Villa La Angostura or San Martin de los Andes are also cozy options for raising the Christmas glass and feeling like Holidays in Central-Europe… minus the icy temperatures and the snow.

And yet, the large cities are not short on options and their beat never seems to cease. Explore the wonderful Buenos Aires museums, sights, its historic buildings and perfect blend of cool and traditional by day, while getting ready for and exquisite, laureated cuisine from all around the world by night. Enjoy the exceptional acoustic and architectural features of The Colon Theater of Buenos Aires, one of the most important opera houses of the world, at the level of theaters such as La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, the Vienna State Opera, London's Covent Garden and the Metropolitan NY. Maybe a New Year´s toast with a glass of one of many Argentina´s prized wines on an exclusive restaurant is where the new, best you starts at?