Chapter # 1 Venezuelan Christmas

If something characterizes Christmas in our land is the particular Christmas table, product of the fusion of many races, and the transculturation and the clear Spanish influence on the Venezuelan natives, our food is very particular, full of color and flavor, in the Christmas table we find as the main dish and characteristic the beloved Venezuelan Hallaca, dressed in banana leaves, her skin of corn flour hides a stew that includes ingredients of the Spanish culture and the Venezuelan indigenous, the hallaca is accompanied by ham bread, famous in our land during the holiday season is a bread stuffed with ham, bacon, raisins and olives, likewise the chicken salad, the pork loin are characteristic dishes that are presented with the hallaca, ham is served ironed and countless variations of salads sweets, special decorations decorate the tables.

We also find at the Christmas table sweet presentations like the typical Venezuelan lechoza sweet, the panettone that was brought by European immigrants and although it is not ours to enter our table until becoming characteristic of our Christmas, the black cake also goes to the gala at the table, turrones, varied confectionery, nuts and hazelnuts are the most characteristic elements that make up the Christmas table, which dresses up to gather family and friends and in the company of wines, champagne, whiskeys and cocktails becomes a celebration that prepares participants to the delivery of gifts and presents that are made only at that time of year, identifying the traditional exchange of gifts. All these details make Christmas dinner a celebration that is accompanied with bagpipes, Christmas carols and bonuses and that the Venezuelan enjoys intensely.