Christmas In El Salvador: What You Need To Know 2024
Christmas in El Salvador is all about festive traditions!
While riding through Central America on our motorcycles, we were lucky enough to find ourselves passing through El Salvador over the Christmas Holiday.
If you are riding a motorcycle through El Salvador, especially during Christmas, this is the BEST route to take.
The winding roads and coastal tunnels running alongside the ocean show the most exciting and beautiful scenery.
After spending months exploring Central America, we finally had the opportunity to experience a real Salvadoran Christmas firsthand.
The vibrant colors, the lively music, and the joyous people made it an unforgettable experience. We danced, we sang, and we laughed until our cheeks hurt!
It was one of the most magical moments I’ve ever experienced.
Read on for a brief overview of how Christmas is celebrated in El Salvador, as well as some of the traditional festivities that take place during this time.
Then, we’ll offer some quick tips on how to make the most of your Christmas celebration in El Salvador!
How Does El Salvador Celebrate Christmas?
El Salvador is a small country in Central America, but it packs a big punch when it comes to Christmas celebrations.
So how does El Salvador celebrate Christmas?
The celebrations may vary depending on the area, but Christmas in El Salvador is a time for family and friends to gather together and celebrate with timeless traditions that go back generations.
The unique traditions are what make the holiday season in El Salvador so special.
Experiencing these traditions first-hand was so eye-opening and unlike anything we had experienced before.
El Salvador’s Christmas season is a time for delicious traditional foods. Huge gatherings of friends, family, and communities cook large dinners on Christmas Eve.
And Salvadorans like to celebrate their religious Christmas holiday out LOUD! Happy community and neighborhood gatherings are full of music, laughter, and fireworks.
Christmas Eve is typically celebrated together with family dinner, mass, and midnight fireworks. The next day, December 25th, is often celebrated with a special, fun day at the beach.
Especially on the Pacific coast, where the small surfer towns have the most unique, laid-back vibe.
Throughout the holiday season, towns and cities are decorated with colorful lights and nativity scene displays.
For El Salvadorans, Christmas is a time of joy and celebration.
When Do Salvadorans Celebrate Christmas?
Christmas in El Salvador is celebrated on December 24th and December 25th.
Although, it is not abnormal to see fireworks being lit off at all hours of the day throughout the entire month of December!
Customs vary from family to family, but most likely, there will be a Christmas tree, food, and drink gatherings.
The main celebration happens on the evening of Christmas Eve, with family and friends gathering around the dinner table to celebrate.
The people who owned the hostel we stayed in on Christmas Eve graciously brought us food, inviting us to be part of their traditional Christmas dinner. We enjoyed it while watching the twinkling lights of their giant Christmas tree.
The sense of welcome and community was outstanding and took us completely by surprise.
The locals were very friendly and made us feel so welcome and like we were at home for Christmas.
Who Brings the Gifts?
During the Christmas season in El Salvador, family and friends usually bring gifts to give to loved ones.
Some families believe that Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) brings gifts on behalf of children during this time.
Traditionally, gifts are given out on Christmas Day. However, some gifts may be exchanged on Christmas Eve as well.
Communities and neighbors share gifts with each other as well. Typically, they exchange gifts in the form of traditional foods, baked treats, recipes, and hugs.
The sense of community and togetherness during the holidays is a huge part of Christmas in El Salvador.
Tips For Enjoying a Festive Holiday in El Salvador
There are many things to enjoy when it comes to celebrating Christmas in El Salvador.
For example, some people prefer to celebrate the holiday at home with family and friends. While others head off on vacation.
The beaches are usually among the most popular locations for tourists during Christmastime. They offer a picturesque setting and plenty of activities to do, such as swimming, sunbathing, and surfing.
Christmas Traditions in El Salvador
Christmas in El Salvador is a time of family gatherings and religious celebrations. It is a tradition that is often passed down from one generation to the next.
In El Salvador, Christmas is a religious holiday celebrated mainly by Catholics, with many families and friends attending mass together.
Salvadorans often put up elaborate and unique nativity scenes at their homes and churches.
Another tradition is setting off fireworks over the Christmas holiday. Many Salvadorans celebrate December 25th with a day at the beach.
Salvadoreans have many special traditions surrounding Christmas time. Not all families follow these traditions, and some are on the decline.
Nevertheless, here are the top El Salvador Christmas traditions.
Christmas Fireworks in El Salvador
The Christmas celebration in El Salvador is not complete without fireworks.
For weeks leading up to December 24th, you can hear the sound of firecrackers in the streets as children play and families prepare for the big day.
On the 24th of December, most people go out to see the most SPECTACULAR fireworks display.
Travis and I were shocked at the number of fireworks being lit off all day on Christmas Eve. As the sun set, the fireworks displays seemed to become even more dazzling the later it got.
Finally, as the clock struck midnight on Christmas Eve, in celebration of baby Jesus and the mark of the beginning of Christmas Day, it happened. You might have thought the entire beautiful, picturesque little beach town had just exploded.
Travis and I stared in shock at one of the most fantastic displays of fireworks coming from every single direction.
A “main” fireworks show lit up with huge bursts of colorful streaks of light and dancing displays coming from the beach.
The family owners living at the hostel we were staying in lit off their own show. As well as the neighbors up and down the entire street and across the whole town.
The atmosphere is electric.
There are sounds of excited children shouting, adults laughing, and joyous music blasting. This makes it feel as though it is the middle of the day!
These Christmas fireworks can easily compare to our 4th of July celebration fireworks in America and are just as impressive.
Controversy
There is one major difference between the fireworks during Christmas in El Salvador and the fireworks during the 4th of July in America.
The United States has many safety regulations when it comes to the lighting of fireworks displays.
Also, the quality of the fireworks being sold is typically regulated in the United States.
In El Salvador, these regulations are much laxer. In fact, regulations on fireworks seem to be nonexistent.
This has resulted in some controversy for this long-standing tradition.
There are increasing recent efforts by both the government and Catholic Church to raise awareness. This is due to a large number of injuries and deaths that occur from fireworks burns and accidents.
There are two types of fireworks that occur during Christmas in El Salvador. These are the traditional, domestic type and modern types.
Modern fireworks typically use fewer explosives. They are set off at a lower altitude, making them much safer to watch (and handle).
However, as I said before, regulations are lax. Therefore, people have free reign to light off whatever makes their hearts content while celebrating the holidays.
We walked around streets and alleys completely covered with little bits of newspaper from homemade explosives. The air smelled thick with the smell of gunpowder.
We could smell it on our clothes for days after!
Christmas Eve fireworks in El Salvador are a tradition that has been passed down for generations. And it is a sight that everyone should see at least once.
If you are lucky enough to be in El Salvador during the holiday season, make sure to experience the Christmas fireworks.
It is an unforgettable experience that will stay with you long after the last firework has faded away.
The La Bala Song
In North America, when we think of Christmas songs, we think of “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night,” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
So it comes as quite a surprise that one of El Salvador’s most famous Christmas songs is “La Bala,” or “The Bullet” in English.
La Bala is a song about the gang violence that plagues the country.
It’s a bit like the macarena, with lyrics directing listeners on how to dance: “hand to the belly, everybody up, everybody, down, takes out the handkerchief, raise your arms,” etc.
However, the song’s chorus also states that everybody has to dance to the bullet because if they don’t, the bullet will shoot them.
Despite its aggressive lyrics, it’s a joyful-sounding song and a tradition for Salvadoreans to dance to on Christmas Eve.
Es Hora de Los Abrazos
In English, es hora de los abrazos translates to “time for hugs.”
At midnight on December 24, everyone in the household hugs each other to celebrate—even the family pets get a big hug!
In some villages, this extends to neighbors and even strangers celebrating in the streets. This tradition is on the decline, but it’s still seen in certain parts of El Salvador.
La Playa- Celebrating Christmas Day
La playa means the beach. After the festivities of Christmas Eve, most Salvadorean families flock to the beach to spend Christmas Day.
So popular beaches are typically packed with families on December 25th, swimming, surfing, basking in the sun, and generally enjoying time together.
Popular beaches to head to on Christmas Day include La Costa del Sol, Barra de Santiago, El Tunco, La Libertad, and Atami.
As well as Playa El Palmarcito, Playa El Zonte, Playa Los Almendros, Playa Los Cobanos, El Espino, and El Tunco.
Los Nacimientos: The Beautiful Nativity Scenes
Los Nacimientos refers to nativity scenes. You’ll find nativity scenes everywhere during the holiday season in El Salvador—in churches, parks, and shops.
As noted above, there are public nativity scenes put together by the cofradías, but individual households will also set up their own nativity scenes.
These are typically set up on December 8th and stay up until February 2nd, which marks the holiday of Candlemas.
Much like Christmas decoration rivalry between neighbors in North America, some Salvadorean neighbors compete with each other to see who can set up the best nativity scene.
The more extravagant nativity scenes can include fountains and light shows.
El Estreno
El Estreno is the tradition of wearing something new on Christmas Eve. Many people purchase new items to make their Christmas outfits extra special.
There’s no rule on what it has to be—shoes, a hat, a scarf, jewelry—as long as it’s brand new (estrenar).
These new items are typically repurposed for returning to work after the holiday season or to wear upon returning to school in January.
Recalentados: The Leftovers!
As in most parts of the world, food is a massive part of Christmas for Salvadoreans.
They make so much food on Christmas Eve that they can’t eat it all. So, there’s a lot of food left over.
Recalentados is the Spanish word for leftover food. It’s a Christmas tradition to eat the recalentados from Christmas Eve on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Salvadoreans will also give leftover food away to friends, family, and neighbors.
Traditional Salvadoran Christmas Food
El Salvador’s Christmas season is a time for delicious traditional foods.
During the early afternoon of Christmas Eve, we sat down at a small shack serving food and beverages with outside seating on the beach.
They had amazing food and drink specials available before they shut down for the night to celebrate the holiday.
Some traditional dishes you’ll find at a Salvadorean Christmas dinner table include:
Tamales
The tamales may be the most traditional part of a Christmas spread in El Salvador.
Tamales are made of masa dough stuffed with meat, typically pork, and different spices and vegetables and then wrapped in a corn husk or leaf. They are then steamed before serving.
It may seem like a simple recipe, but it actually takes hours or even days to prepare. Family members will gather in kitchens on Christmas Eve and form a factory-like line to make tamales.
Panes Con Chumpe
Salvadoreans have their own unique twist on the traditional Christmas turkey. Savaldoreans agree no Christmas dinner is complete without Panes Con Chumpe.
Panes Con Chumpe is turkey roasted in recaudo, a sauce made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, chilies, and spices.
The turkey is then shredded and placed in a bun with extra recaudo and toppings like lettuce, watercress, radish, cucumber, beets, and pickles.
Some Salvadoreans opt for chicken instead of turkey, known as Panes Rellenos or Pan con Pollo.
Quesadilla Salvadorena
This is not to be confused with the cheese-stuffed tortilla. Instead, Quesadilla Salvadorena is a Salvadorean sweet cake made with parmesan cheese.
You’ll find this cake on the Christmas dessert menu in most Salvadorean households.
Ensalada de Papas Salvadoreña
This dish is the Salvadorean version of potato salad. It contains the usual ingredients in a potato salad—mayonnaise, mustard, celery, onions—with the addition of carrots, green peas, and green beans.
Salvadorans serve Ensalada de Papas Salvadoreña as a side dish to their tamales and Panes Con Chumpe.
Horchata de Morro
No holiday meal would be complete without a festive drink.
Salvadoreans consume typical holiday beverages like rum, wine, soda, and hot chocolate.
But Horchata de Morro is a Christmas favorite, particularly among children.
The drink is made with ground morro seeds, squash or pumpkin seeds, rice, sesame seeds, peanuts, cocoa beans, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander seeds, allspice, and vanilla.
It’s then mixed with either cold water or milk and strained through a cheesecloth before adding sugar.
Our Christmas Dinner in El Salvador
The family that owned the hostel we stayed in over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in El Salvador had a large gathering of family and friends. They cooked delicious traditional food, including Pan con Pollo.
They wished us Merry Christmas, made us delicious chicken subs, and included us in their Christmas dinner. It was such a beautiful experience!
We enjoyed it while sitting near the lit Salvadorean Christmas tree.
Best Places to Celebrate Christmas in El Salvador
From small towns to big cities, there are plenty of places to celebrate Christmas in El Salvador. If you’re looking for a festive and affordable destination, El Salvador is your place to be.
However, be sure to consult with locals first – they’ll be able to give you some great tips on where to go and what to do.
Some popular areas to celebrate Christmas in El Salvador include San Salvador and La Libertad.
At the beautiful sandy beaches, you can enjoy a festive day with your family and friends.
There are plenty of events and activities happening throughout El Salvador in preparation for Christmas. So, no matter where you pick, you won’t miss out on any festive traditions.
San Salvador
El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, is the destination for you if you want a taste of a Salvadorean Christmas but also want to keep your schedule packed.
There’s a lot to do in San Salvador during the holiday season. The city hosts events such as:
- La navidad se vive en MARTE (Christmas Lives on Mars) – The Museo de Arte de El Salvador, an art museum.
- Cuento De Navidad (A Christmas Carol) – Teatro Luis Poma, a performing arts center.
- Fiesta Navideña (Christmas party) – Colonia Flor Blanca, a landmark venue for soccer matches and concerts.
- Especial de Navidad (a celebration of Christmas) – Iglesia Cristiana Vida, a church.
- Una Mágica Navidad (A Magical Christmas) – Centro Comercial Galerias, a shopping center.
This isn’t an exhaustive list; there’s much more to do around the nation’s capital.
So, whether you want to take in festive culture at an art museum, watch a Christmas play at a theater, attend a party at a large-scale venue, or attend a church ceremony, you can find it all in San Salvador.
If you want to take part in the beach day tradition on Christmas day, several famous beaches are located within 50 miles of San Salvador:
- La Libertad (15 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in La Libertad - El Tunco (25 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in El Tunco - Atami and Playa El Palmarcito (30 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in Atami and Playa El Palmarcito - Playa El Zonte (30 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in Playa El Zonte - Costa Del Sol (40 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in Costa Del Sol - Playa Acajutla (50 miles)
↪ See available places to stay in Playa Acajutla
There are several hotels in San Salvador to choose from—high-end to budget; the choice is up to you. You can also sample traditional foods and drinks at several restaurants, cafes, and bars.
So if you choose to spend Christmas in San Salvador, there will always be something for you to do.
Suchitoto
It would seem like an obvious choice to visit a large city like San Salvador to celebrate Christmas.
While it’s true, there are more festivities; it may be better to head to a small village to experience Christmas at its most traditional.
Suchitoto is a small mountaintop village located about an hour and a half from San Salvador.
With its cobblestone streets and large central square, it’s been unofficially named El Salvador’s most picturesque village.
The city is alight with Christmas decorations throughout December.
The Casa de la Cultura also holds an event during the holidays, inviting participants to set up intricate manger scenes throughout Suchitoto.
If you want to participate in the religious aspects of Christmas in El Salvador, you can visit Iglesia Santa Lucia. Completed in 1853, it is a beautiful church with a brilliant white façade.
It’s often the first thing visitors see when they get to Suchitoto and a stunning example of El Salvador’s colonial architecture.
The village is close to Lake Suchitlan, a popular weekend destination. So if you want to partake in the Christmas Day beach tradition, you can get to the lake by bus in about an hour.
Where to Stay
There are a couple of 4-star hotels in the village if you’re looking for a more upscale stay. But you can also find a multitude of rustic hotels with amazing views and scenery for under $50 a night.
Whichever option you choose, this quaint village is sure to give you a taste of a genuine Salvadorean Christmas.
If a more traditional experience is what you’re after, head to San Salvador. This is where central Christmastime really kicks off!
Alternatively, if you want a less hectic holiday with lots of peace and quiet, check out one of the beach towns located on the country’s stunning coastline.
We stayed in a hostel on the beach in El Zonte, El Salvador, which is a beautiful little off-the-beaten-path beach town.
I strongly recommend it for the sense of a welcoming family community and the laid-back, surfer’s paradise vibe.
Whether you are soaking up the sun on the beach or celebrating in the city, there is no shortage of fun things to do during Christmas in El Salvador.
Things to Know Before You Go
Before you head off to El Salvador for Christmas, there are a few things that you should know.
Firstly, be sure to visit some of the most popular tourist destinations like San Salvador and Copan. However, don’t feel the need to stay for long.
We have always had the absolute best experiences in small off-the-beaten-path towns where we can converse with and get to know the locals much more easily.
The busy, popular tourist destinations are often filled with, well, tourists.
And as much as I love to meet and make friends with new fellow travelers, I also think it is very important to get a feel for the local culture of every area we travel to.
Secondly, Christmas in El Salvador is a religious holiday, and there are many churches and religious events taking place throughout December.
Be sure to be respectful of religious areas and the local cultures and traditions.
📍 Hostal Marbella
Finally, book your accommodation well in advance as it tends to get very busy during this festive season.
Obviously, as Disorderly Drifters, we made no plans in advance whatsoever and did not even know where we were going to spend Christmas until we rode our motorcycles to El Zonte on Christmas Eve.
This made for a semi-stressful morning in which it took us 6 hours to figure out where we were going to sleep that night.
Just when we had resorted to either setting our tent up behind some mango and coconut trees or trying to ride to the next town, we found a local hostel with a bed open just steps away from the beach.
We stayed at Hostal Marbella. It had a shared bathroom and kitchen, private parking for our motorcycles, and even a pool decorated for Christmas.
We did not use the pool since we were only steps from the beach. It was the perfect place, and the family that owned it was so great!
It had total laid-back, relaxed surfer vibes and felt very welcoming.
There was also a beautiful garden complete with mango trees and of course, coconuts everywhere. We felt right at home and very safe.
The atmosphere felt very festive, and the family and neighbors walked all around chatting and getting ready for Christmas celebrations all day.
Is It Safe to Travel to El Salvador during the Holidays?
El Salvador is a beautiful and safe country to travel to during the holidays. However, it is always important to take some precautions while traveling.
Though it can be busy, it’s easy to stay safe by following a few simple tips.
It is always a good idea to follow the general safety guidelines for traveling during the holiday season and make sure to avoid crowds, scams, and dangerous areas.
Keep an eye out for holiday-specific scams such as fake tickets and counterfeit money.
Make sure you have all of your documents ready in advance, including your passport, visa, and other travel documents.
Make use of online resources to stay up-to-date with current safety hazards and any political ongoings that may impact your travels.
Remember also to check the security situation in any area you want to explore. Make sure that there are no recent reports of violence or high amounts of crime in your area.
Use common sense and stay away from areas where the crime rate is high or “feels” dangerous. Just as you would in your own country.
Avoid Night Travel + Other Essential Travel Tips
Also, I always advise against traveling at night. Try to get the traveling part of your day done early on.
Reach a destination you feel safe in to spend the night.
Sometimes this takes a little bit of pre-planning. Which you know we are not very good at since we take a more Disorderly approach.
However, we never ride our motorcycles at night if we can help it.
And even though we make our plans day-by-day, we always are sure to research our next day’s potential stopping points whenever we have Wi-Fi.
This ensures we have some general knowledge about the area.
Also, it gives us enough time to get to our potential destination(s) and explore, as well as find a place to tent up for the night.
El Salvador felt very safe for us throughout all of our travels across the country. The people were amazingly kind, helpful, friendly, and welcoming.
The scenery is fantastic, and as long as you use common sense just as you would at home, you will have no issues traveling through this amazing country.
Currency
Another good tip when traveling to a foreign country is to understand the local currency!
We were pleasantly surprised to learn that El Salvador uses the U.S. dollar as their local currency.
This made El Salvador the easiest country for understanding what we were spending on our travels so far!
It was also very exciting to see that El Salvador uses $1 coins rather than dollar bills!
Being from North Dakota, we had seen the Sacagawea Golden Dollar before. However, the others were new to us and so neat!
It is much easier to see how much cheaper everything is in El Salvador compared to the U.S. when you don’t have to do money conversion math in your head.
The prices of food, drinks, and even the hotels and hostels during the holidays were a fraction of the price we would have paid back home.
We tried to keep all of our dollar coins as souvenirs, but we did end up spending a lot enjoying the Christmas holidays.
(Hey- it’s not so easy to hold onto dollar coins when they are only charging $1 for coconut drinks at the beach!)
Summing it Up: Christmas in El Salvador
Christmas in El Salvador is a magical time. The air is thick with the aroma of tamales and roasted chicken (as well as gunpowder from fireworks!).
And everywhere you look, there are brightly lit Christmas trees and strings of lights.
This small Central American country is home to a vibrant culture and some of the most beautiful scenery in the region.
El Salvador is safe to travel in during the holidays and even uses the U.S. dollar as its local currency.
(Although the prices of food and accommodation are MUCH cheaper than you will find in the United States!)
The weather is warm, and the beaches are beautiful, making it the perfect place to spend a merry Christmas.
Christmas celebrated in this beautiful country, just like Christmas in Honduras, was a unique and wonderful experience. We enjoyed the festive traditions and delicious food.
Also, we especially enjoyed the warm, welcoming atmosphere and kind, happy locals that took us in on Christmas Eve.
If you’re looking for a unique and memorable Christmas experience, I highly recommend spending Christmas in El Salvador!
¡Feliz Navidad!
Heading south of the U.S. for Christmas but still want the winter wonderland experience? Did you know that it snows in Mexico!? I put together some quick tips so you can have the perfect white Christmas.
If you are traveling through other parts of Central America, be sure to stop for some unforgettable, delicious food in Antigua, Guatemala.
And check out our Travel Tips & Tricks page for some great travel hacks.
