Chilean holiday customs
Chilean customs and etiquette are very similar to those of the Spanish in many respects, but they also have distinctive characteristics of the local indigenous people. Chileans pay attention to etiquette and are hospitable, but have many traditional customs and obvious Western characteristics. Chileans attach great importance to greeting etiquette when meeting. When they meet foreign guests for the first time, they often shake hands. Sometimes men hug warmly and women kiss each other on the cheeks. The most commonly used greetings are "Hello","I am very happy to meet you","Thank God for letting us meet", etc. When familiar friends meet, they often hug and kiss warmly, greet each other, and are extremely intimate, for both men and women. Some elderly people are accustomed to raising their hands or taking off their hats when they meet.
Like many American countries, Chileans generally do not invite others to their homes, unless they are deeply affectionate friends. If you are invited to their homes by a Chilean friend, it should be regarded as an honor and should not be declined out of courtesy or other reasons. Otherwise, you will be angry because the host thinks he is looking down on others. When invited to visit a friend's home in Chile, you should make an appointment on time. It is impolite to be late or early. Chileans have a strong sense of time and are accustomed to doing everything at the scheduled time, which is different from many American countries. Arriving at the host's house, guests should take the initiative to send a bunch of flowers or beautifully wrapped candies to the hostess, first greeting the hostess, and then greet the host and other family members.
Chileans serve a wide variety of rice dishes and unique flavors. The staple foods for guests include a tender corn cake called "Joklo" made from fresh cornmeal,"gravy rice" made from rice, corn flour, broth and vegetables, pies made with cheese and seafood, and pies made with minced meat, onions, raisins, olives, eggs, etc. The dishes are made of pork, beef, mutton, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, raw cabbage, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc. Among them, roasted meat accounts for a large part, and the aroma is fragrant and delicious. The dining table is equipped with various fruits, such as apples, oranges, grapes, watermelons, melons, plums, apricots, peaches, strawberries, lychees and mountain olives. Chileans call fruits natural sweets. Chileans love to drink alcohol, and wine is indispensable for guests. Low-alcohol white wine, red wine, white wine, etc. are regular wines for guests.
Chile's festivals are divided into national festivals and local festivals. There are religious festivals and non-religious festivals. These festivals reflect Chile's history, religion, culture and customs. The main festivals in chronological order are: February 2, the Celebration of the Virgin of Lovasgos. Celebrations held by farmers in the central agricultural area.
March 10 to 18, the Grape Harvest Festival is a traditional national festival. Every year during the grape harvest season, the girls pick grapes in a melodious song. People selected more than a dozen beautiful young women as "grape girls". Under the planning of grape companies and other organizations, they drove into the city in a caravan full of grapes and their exhibits to promote and sell them. In the city market, the grape girl read out the "Grape Order" to celebrate the grape harvest. Then, they tasted the delicious broth they had prepared to show their celebration.
May 1st is International Labor Day. A festival for workers and other working people.
May 21, Navy Day. Traditional Navy Festival.
June 29, the San Pedro Religious Parade Festival. It is mainly held in the Lal Hot Spring Area. On this day, a small boat carrying an elephant of the San Pedro missionary was the lead, followed by several flotilla decorated with flowers, bunting and dragon heads, swimming on the water. At that time, many dancers from all over the country danced to celebrate and add to the fun.
July 12-18, Tirana Pilgrim Day. A festival commemorating Tirana, the Indian heroine who fought against Spanish colonists in the 16th century. On the opening day of July 12, people stood in front of the cross where the heroine was killed. Then march into the Santa Maria. A statue of the Virgin Mary hangs in the hall, and a young girl sits on the altar. She is regarded as the "living Virgin Mary". After people entered the hall, they first sang a pilgrim song to the statue of the Virgin Mary, and then bowed to the girl, prayed and paid tribute. The commemoration activities reached their climax on the 16th. A religious parade was held in the afternoon, led by a statue of the Virgin Mary carried by 80 people, followed by the "Living Virgin", the statue of Christ, a huge map of the world and the people participating in the parade. The procession continued until dusk. After night fell, countless candles were lit in the small town of Tirana, and bonfires were lit outside the town. On this brightly lit night, people danced a "mask dance". For a time, there were terrible "ghosts" wandering around the town. A trade fair is held on the last day of the festival. There are a dazzling array of goods on the streets. People choose at will until they return home full of goods.
September 18, National Day. Chileans call it the 18th Day. On September 18, 1810, the people of Santiago held a public town council to elect the first national government. In 1818, Chile officially declared its independence and established the Republic of Chile, and designated September 18 as National Day. On this day every year, people hold a rally and march with the participation of the President of the Republic on the square in front of the Presidential Palace to celebrate.
September 19, Army Day. On this day, a military parade attended by the President of the Republic was held in the conical square of O'Higgins Park.
October and November, the Cattle Rowing Festival. One of Chileans 'favorite mass entertainment celebrations is mostly held in rural areas and small towns. The bull-fencing competition is its main activity. The competition was held in a circular wooden fence called the "Half Moon". The riders participating in the bullpen are divided into groups of two and compete three rounds each time for unlimited time. During the competition, scores are scored based on the fact that the front limbs of the horse the rider is riding squeezing a specific part of the cow, and the winner is finally determined based on the number of points. During the break in the competition, both men and women sang with guitar accompaniment to add fun.
November 2, Dead People's Day. It is a festival for Chileans to mourn their deceased ancestors.
December 25th, Christmas Day.