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Pan American experiences
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It's Starting To Sound a Lot Like ChristmasThis Is How Christmas Plays in Pan AmericaEnjoy a Perfect Soundtrack for Unforgettable Parties, from the Snow to the Beach By Estefanía Muriel for Ruta Pantera on 12/26/2025 10:16:57 AM |
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| Imagine a winter night, with snow blanketing the trees, the fireplace crackling, and a steaming mug of hot chocolate in your hands. Outside, the wind rustles against the windows; inside, a warm voice accompanied by the melody of a saxophone evokes memories, nostalgia, and joy. What would Christmas be without its music? For many, that magical moment begins with the, the echoes of a children's choir, or the strumming of a cuatro… and so, music becomes the very soul of Christmas.
The magic of Christmas often lies not in the gifts or the lights: it lies in the music. It lies in that moment when a song awakens memories, unites generations, and creates community. Whether by the warmth of a fireplace in a snowy cabin, or around a bonfire in the tropics; whether at a family karaoke night, a summer toast, or a Christmas Mass, music makes Christmas feel and come alive. Together, let’s explore why certain songs have become indispensable classics in the northern hemisphere, how Latin American music has adapted Christmas to the warmth and soul of the south, and why this entire repertoire, far from being a simple collection of hits, is a reflection of traditions, climates, and cultures found in December. Winter Traditions in the Northern Hemisphere: Snow, Fireplaces, and Musical Nostalgia When we think of Christmas with snow, our minds immediately travel to songs like Bing Crosby's White Christmas, " Dean Martin's Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", Ella Fitzgerald 's version of Winter Wonderland, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting), or Frank Sinatra's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Jingle Bells. These songs, mostly born between the 1940s and 1950s, are part of today's universal Christmas repertoire. What's fascinating is that many of these songs, although now associated with Christmas, don't explicitly mention Jesus, the manger, or religious tradition, but rather evoke winter imagery, nostalgia, home, and togetherness. This blend of simplicity, emotional resonance, and shared memories is part of what explains their enduring appeal. Musicologists agree that a good number of classic Christmas songs continue to dominate the charts thanks to their nostalgic power and memorable melodies. |
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This tradition is reinforced by Christmas jazz: a fusion of carols, Christmas songs, and ensemble musicianship. This blend allows classic songs to be reinterpreted, and new generations to connect with them.
For those who experience Christmas with snow, fireplaces, hot chocolate and a reflective but warm spirit, this repertoire remains indispensable. A widely accepted Christmas-crossover jazz classic that has little to say about Christmas lore is These Are a Few of My Favorite Things,, first popularized in the movie, The Sound of Music.
Modern Rhythm and Joy: Pop and Jazz Christmas for Sparkling Parties But Christmas isn't just about nostalgia and fireplaces. Over the years, modern, more energetic songs have emerged, with pop-like or festive rhythms, designed not only for intimate family gatherings but also for celebrations, get-togethers, and parties. Songs like Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You, Wham!'s Last Christmas, Kelly Clarkson's Underneath the Tree, Justin Bieber's Mistletoe, Ariana Grande's Santa Tell Me, and Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby represent this more jubilant, commercial, and danceable side of contemporary Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere. Although these songs aren't part of the oldest traditions, they've managed to become part of the collective soundtrack thanks to their energy, blend of modernity and emotion, and ability to adapt to festive settings. Thus, a white Christmas coexists with lively playlists, where the intimate blends with the social, the nostalgic with the festive, and the traditional with the modern. This musical versatility allows Christmas in the North to be experienced with different moods, without losing its emotional essence. Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere: Human Warmth and Tropical Rhythm Now imagine another scenario: custard with fritters, novenas, barbecues, fireworks, and family-style dancing. That, for many Latin Americans, is the world of December. But even here, Christmas music also evolves. The traditional genre of Hispanic Christmas carols is the villancico, which hailed from Europe to be adapted to Latin climate, rhythm, and soul. Villancicos, which originated in medieval villages as secular folk songs and later transformed into religious or Christmas carols, arrived in the Americas with colonization and blended with indigenous, African, and mestizo rhythms. Songs like Mi Burrito Sabanero (originally El Burrito de Belén, by Venezuelan composer Hugo Blanco, 1972) embody that blend of Christmas tradition and tropical joy. According to recent charts, it remains one of the most popular Spanish-language Christmas carols in Latin America. Classics such as Los Peces en el Río, Campana sobre Campana or Noche de Paz are also still present, generating that family, religious or nostalgic atmosphere typical of the holidays. But the uniqueness of Christmas in the south often goes further: in countries like Venezuela and Colombia, these carols are reinterpreted with cumbia, merengue, vallenato, salsa and other local rhythms, turning Christmas into a celebration of sound, flavor and community. Hence, Latin American Christmas music achieves a balance: it preserves its traditional roots, its message of hope, faith and reunification, but adapts to the climatic and cultural context, generating an experience that only exists in the tropics. A Cultural Bridge: Latin American Christmas Music as a Symbol of Identity and Memory A valuable aspect of this musical diversity is that Christmas can be simultaneously universal and deeply local. For many Latin Americans, listening to traditional carols, with the sounds of guitars, cuatros, drums, accordions, or tambourines, is not only a sign of celebration, but also a bridge to their roots, family memories, and shared histories. In this way, Christmas music becomes an act of identity: by performing melodies like Mi Burrito Sabanero or Los Peces en el Río, the spirit of communities, of childhood, of shared joy is revived; a tradition passed down from generation to generation is rescued, adapted to the present, but faithful to its essence. In a globalized world, where Anglo-Saxon songs circulate easily, Spanish Christmas carols keep this cultural diversity alive, that Latinidad warming the short days of December with rhythm. Despite cultural, geographical, and climatic differences, some songs have managed to cross borders and hemispheres. Songs like José Feliciano's Feliz Navidad, written in 1970, have achieved global status. Thanks to its blend of Spanish and English, and its inclusive spirit, it has become "a universal Christmas anthem," present in snowy European streets as well as on Caribbean beaches. Religious carols like Silent Night, classic hymns like O Holy Night, or interpretations of religious pieces (such as versions of Ave Maria or choral-classical arrangements) allow Christmas to retain its spiritual dimension, transcending the commercial or merely festive. That's why the "ideal Christmas soundtrack" can be a mix of things: cups of hot chocolate next to a glass of cold lemonade; a tree decorated with lights, and in the background, a version of White Christmas followed by Mi Burrito Sabanero. In this way, hemispheres, climates, and cultures connect, and everyone celebrates in the same spirit. The best Christmas music transcends hemispheres and seasons: it listens to the human heartbeat, to nostalgia, joy, and faith. In this vast repertoire of winter classics, contemporary hits, Latin carols, and universal anthems, everyone finds their own Christmas. This blend of tradition, emotion, and community is what makes Christmas music the perfect way to rekindle spirits, share memories, and create new ones. |
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References: Open Culture. (2021, December). Why “White Christmas,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Let It Snow!” and Other Classic Christmas Songs Come from the 1940s . Open Culture. https://www.openculture.com/2021/12/why-white-christmas-here-comes-santa-claus-let-it-snow-and-other-classic-christmas-songs-come-from-the-1940s.html Montclair State University. (2024, December 9). Why Are Classic Christmas Songs Still as Popular as Ever? Montclair News Center. https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2024/12/09/why-are-classic-christmas-songs-still-popular-as-ever/ Jazzfuel. (sf). Christmas Jazz Music: A Guide to Essential Albums & Songs . Jazzfuel. https://jazzfuel.com/christmas-jazz-music/ Wikipedia. (sf). Christmas carol . On Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villancico National Geographic History. (n.d.). The origin of Christmas carols: from folk songs to Christmas hymns . National Geographic History. https://historia.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/origen-villancicos-alegres-canciones-navidad_15987 Wikipedia. (sf). The Donkey of Bethlehem . On Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Burrito_de_Bel%C3%A9n Remitly. (sf). Top Spanish Christmas Songs to Celebrate the Holidays . Remitly Blog. https://www.remitly.com/blog/lifestyle-culture/spanish-christmas-songs/ Colombia One. (2024, December 18). Colombia's Christmas Carols: A Tradition Full of Music & Meaning . Colombia One. https://colombiaone.com/2024/12/18/colombia-christmas-carols-villancicos-2/ Wikipedia. (sf). Merry Christmas (song) . On Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feliz_Navid Wikipedia. (sf). Christmas music . On Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_music |
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