December is finally here, and Christmas is just around the corner. And if you want to celebrate and have fun this festive season, Goa is a place for you. Due to its Portuguese heritage and history, Goa offers a different Christmas experience unlike any other. In this article, we are going to look at 5 things that make Christmas in Goa unique.
1) Homemade Goan sweets:
Goa offers a unique spread of delicious sweets on Christmas that is a must-try for any food lover. Some of Goa’s popular Christmas sweets include Fruit cake, Bebinca, Neureos, Dodol, Bolinhas, and Baath. You can find these traditional sweets at most of the Goan bakery during Christmas time.
2) Midnight Christmas Mass:
Midnight Mass is one of the most famous Christmas traditions in Goa. As Goa is home to almost 400 churches, you can easily attend a Midnight Mass with your friends and family. Churches like Basilica of Bom Jesus and Immaculate Conception are beautifully decorated for the festive season. And we recommend that you show up a bit early if you want to sit inside the church.
3) Christmas crib
Crib building is one of the unique attractions that make Christmas in Goa special. People all across Goa design and decorate a crib to depict the birth of baby Jesus. Live cribs are also enacted in some villages in Goa accompanied by choirs singing carols. Crib making is so popular in Goa that many competitions are held between locals.
4) See the fireworks at the beach:
Christmas in Goa is not complete without fireworks at the beach. At night the fireworks light up the midnight sky, creating a mesmerizing view that you’ll never forget. Some famous beaches that offer such a view include Baga, Calangute Shoreline, Colva, and Bogmalo.
5) Burn the old man
Not quite a Christmas tradition, but burning the old man’s on New Year’s Eve is an age-old ritual that is still followed by Goans to this Date. As the name suggests, an effigy of an elderly man consisting of hay and old clothing is set on fire at midnight to mark the end of a year.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, these were 5 things that make Christmas in Goa unique. We hope that this information helps you have a pleasant Christmas experience in Goa.
