How Is Christmas Celebrated in Ollantaytambo?
Where family life, community bonds, and the agricultural cycle intertwine.
Ollantaytambo, a town in the heart of the Sacred Valley, is a place where Quechua, Inca, and Spanish histories coexist, and where local communities have preserved and transformed their cultural traditions over time. The celebrations of December and January are lived through close family and community ties. Here is how Christmas is experienced in Ollantaytambo:
Christmas Preparations
In the days leading up to December 25, the streets and shops fill with lights and decorations to welcome Christmas. In Peruvian shops, globalized Christmas elements—such as stars and garlands—coexist with local details inspired by the Andean landscape.
Each family and business chooses how to combine what they have on hand: some opt for metallic and glittering ornaments seen around the world, while others prefer to mix them with local figures and motifs such as alpacas or flowers.
In this way, Ollantaytambo creates a unique atmosphere marked by religious and cultural syncretism intertwined with the valley’s everyday life. The main square also hosts a Nativity scene prepared by the Municipality, which becomes a meeting point for the community on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve (Nochebuena)
On December 24, families share a special and intimate moment in their homes to celebrate Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena. They cook and share dishes that vary from household to household—from chicken soup or roasted meats to turkey and other family recipes.
Beyond the menu, what matters most is the company, the conversations, and waiting together until midnight.
At midnight, some locals head to the main square to welcome Baby Jesus, who is placed at the center of the Nativity scene. In this way, Christmas begins with a collective welcome before everyone returns home to rest.
Christmas Day and the Chocolatada
December 25 is usually a calmer day. Families gather again to share a chocolatada: hot chocolate accompanied by panetón, a sweet bread introduced to Peru by Italian immigrants in the 20th century, which is now an essential part of Christmas in most households.
These chocolatadas can be organized by families themselves, but also by neighborhoods, communities, or municipal governments. Sharing hot chocolate and panetón with children—and with anyone who wishes to join—becomes a gesture of care and collective celebration.
Bajada de Reyes of the Niño Jesús de Marcaccocha
Declared Cultural Heritage of Peru
In Ollantaytambo, Christmas celebrations conclude with the Bajada de Reyes of the Niño Jesús de Marcaccocha, held from January 5 to 9. The festivities are organized by the carguyoqs—people or families who take on responsibility for the celebration—together with the communities of Patacancha (including Huilloc, Patacancha, Pallata, Rumira Sondormayo, Yanamayo, Quelcanca, among others) and the population of Ollantaytambo.
This holiday brings together Indigenous Quechua communities from the Patacancha Valley with residents of Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley. Many of Awamaki’s artisan partners come from these communities and actively participate, joining their families in processions, music, and celebration.
Although the date comes from the Christian calendar, the festival blends Andean and Catholic elements. Baby Jesus is dressed in a traditional Quechua poncho, reflecting the deep cultural integration of faith and local identity.
The celebration is also closely tied to the Quechua agricultural cycle. January marks the rainy season and the growth of crops such as corn, and the festivities accompany this period of renewal. Processions, dances, and musical troupes celebrate not only the coming of Baby Jesus, but also the arrival of rain and good fortune for the fields.
Because of its cultural complexity and symbolic richness, Peru’s Ministry of Culture has declared this celebration part of the nation’s Cultural Heritage.
Photo credit: Municipality of Ollantaytambo
Source:https://www.facebook.com/muniollantaytambo2023/posts/586658794306500/
Connection and Renewal
Christmas in Ollantaytambo is a time to gather with family, strengthen collective work, and renew relationships with the land. The lights in the square, the chocolatadas, visits to the Nativity scene, and the Bajada de Reyes all form part of a unique way of living the season.
As the rains return and crops begin to grow, December and January become months of connection and renewal—where home life, community, culture, and economy are woven together through shared celebration.