Everything You Need to Know About Nochebuena, a Classic South Florida Christmas Celebration

Today I’m going to tell you about a Christmas celebration that, while not unique to Florida, is probably more well-known here than in many other parts of the US. And is probably best known in places like Miami which have a large Hispanic population. We call it Nochebuena, or “Good Night”, and celebrate on Christmas Eve as our big Christmas celebration rather than the typical Christmas Day celebration observed throughout the US. Parts of Texas, Arizona, California, and NYC are probably familiar with Nochebuena, as well as other places with large Hispanic populations.

Nochebuena is the Christmas party to end all Christmas parties for Hispanics. Traditions vary as to how it’s celebrated. Some eat a very late supper, after mass, and some eat turkey rather than pork. Besides Three Kings Day, also called Epiphany, Nochebuena is the largest celebration of the holiday season. As far back as I can remember, this is the night to look forward to. It’s the night families gather, feast, and open gifts. In a way, Christmas Day is a bit of an afterthought, a day of rest and to see other family and friends in a more relaxed manner.

The Philippines, Spain, and various South American and Caribbean countries celebrate Nochebuena. In the Philippines, the traditional family dinner happens at midnight, after a late mass. Dinner consists of roast pork which is typical for most Nochebuena dinners. In Spain, family dinners often start with a seafood dish. In Peru, turkey replaces the roasted pork. While in Cuba, a whole pig is often cooked below hot coals.

Our family begins Nochebuena early in the evening. The house, usually my mom’s, fills with family and friends. We arrive with all of the “family” gifts, wrapped, and place them under the tree. And around the tree. It gets to be a rather large display. Among those are special gifts for the friends who stop by. Everyone receives something on Nochebuena. Everyone is family.

Wine and drinks flow as Christmas music plays in the background. Candles sit lit throughout the house, their scents of pine or vanilla mingling with the aromas coming from the kitchen – the lime and garlic of mojo-marinated pork in the oven, the peppers and onions of the black beans on the stovetop, the earthy scent of marshmallow-topped yams. Hors d’oevres dot coffee tables, and conversations and laughter flow as freely as the wine. We’re Cuban so it gets pretty loud. We have this ability to carry on three conversations in two different rooms, a shouted question or remark interspersed among more intimate conversations.

When dinner arrives, guests split up among the tables, kids at their own table, adults at another table or two. Dinner usually starts around 8 as we often attend a late afternoon mass. The table holds platters of roast pork (lechon), ham, yuca, platanitos (fried plantains), black beans and rice, salad, bread, green bean casserole, yams, and anything else someone brought or Mom felt like cooking.

After dinner – this is the time the kids have waited for all evening, the time for sweets and gifts! The plates and food are cleared and put away while the scent of fresh brewing coffee fills the house. The traditional dessert of turron (a mix of sugar, honey, eggs, and various other ingredients such as almonds or chocolate) comes out to the table with others such as candy, cookies, and pie. The kids are bouncing off walls by now, a combination of excitement and sugar. They’ve spent a couple of hours looking through wrapped packages for their names, trying to guess what each gift is. Now it’s time to put the kids to work. They distribute the gifts into little piles around the living room, one pile for each person. The older kids help the younger ones, reading tags, carrying the heavier gifts. Gifts distributed, coffee refilled, everyone sitting comfortably in front of their piles, it’s time to open the gifts.

Some people have a free-for-all when opening gifts. Some open them in waves. Others one gift at a time, one person at a time, taking rounds around the room. We open them one person at a time, all gifts, starting with the youngest. The special part of this is the undivided attention someone gets – it’s your time for several minutes as you open all of your gifts. You are the most important person in that room for a few minutes. For the kids, they open all their toys early and then spend the rest of gift-opening time playing with them. In truth, the kids usually watch the adults open gifts, too, eager to see what others receive and share in each person’s excitement and joy.

Nochebuena celebrations usually last well past 11 PM. By this time, everyone heads home as Santa doesn’t visit kids who stay awake past midnight! Those spending the night help clean up, and Santa delivers the unwrapped toys around the Christmas toys. Sometimes the adults have to test out the toys…just to make sure they work right, of course! Then everyone falls asleep, exhausted and satiated, ready for the kids’ delighted cries very early on Christmas morning.

What Do You Think of Nochebuena?

Do you celebrate on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day? Different traditions fascinate me, and I would love to hear yours. And of course, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!