|  "Christmas Eve vs New Years Eve"
The Christmas/New Years traditions here are quite different to what you might be used to, they're certainly different to what I was used to in Ireland.Christmas Eve is basically their Christmas Day. Families get together in the evening and cook a big dinner, usually eating very late at night in typical Uruguayan style. I don't think there is such a thing as a "traditional" Christmas dinner here, some people do a big asado, some people bake ham, there seems to be a lot of "budin" which is kind of like fruit cake, but with white flour. After the big dinner everyone sets off fireworks on their roof or balcony or on the street...there doesn't seem to be a place where people go together to combine their fireworks and make a big show. If you want to get a good glimpse of everything you either need to be up high, or go to a rural place where the buildings are smaller and your view isn't blocked (in Valizas and Punta del Diablo you can see everyone's fireworks!) On Christmas eve during the early afternoon there is always a BIG crowd down in Ciudad Vieja around the Mercado del Puerto. Though this is a scaled down version of the HUGE party there on New Years Eve. On Dec 31st there is a huge water fight (with cider!) all around Ciudad Vieja. If you walk toward the Mercado watch out because people throw buckets of water and water balloons from their balconies...and it doesn't matter if you're old, pregnant, carrying a camera or phone - everyone is fair game! Its a bit crazy, and later in the evening it can get pretty rowdy, but in the early afternoon its quite fun. The best part is when they shred all their calendars and diaries from the year and throw them out the window. Its a total mess afterward but when its all falling it looks like snow. |
