Contents:1. Christmas in Honduras
2. Garifuna Christmas in Honduras
3. Christmas in Costa Rica
4. Panama is for hiking Christmas in Central America is felt with aroma and affection. Aroma of food very seasoned with extreme care and affections of the Creole ancestral. The tamale: potato, rice, corn mass of two colors with achiote, olives, capers, chickpeas, chicken or pig and clove. Yoreñases among candy with breadcrumbs sweet, greens and chili, French toasts, papaya or wizcoyol in honey, coffee and eggnog. In the department of Yoro, as well as in other cities as Comayagua, they make leave carpets of pine that aromatize the houses. There are parties all over Honduras. In Utila, in the department of Bay Islands, we have a New Year party by the sea. Backpackers and tourists in general from of all of the continents meet to celebrate the passing of the old year and the coming of the new. Christmas is the time of rebirth; the nature and hospitality of Honduras are waiting for you! Bring rain clothing because it generally rains at night, but during the day the sun shines! 
Christmas in Honduras is great for those that want to get away from the entire North American or European hullabaloo. Here one hears the occasional Jingle Bells or Feliz Navidad, but not ad nauseum, it is, however, party time. The churches, of course, celebrate with masses, services and choirs; the restaurants and hotels with special dinners. In the Garifuna villages Christmas gets into full swing on the 24th, with wonderful drumming by the men, while the women perform traditional dances all night. Everyone joins in and it turns into a big party on the 25th and culminating on the 26th with Joncunu, where the young men, masked and costumed in black and white, go from door to door coercing onlookers and dancing the wanaragua till they drop. This is a particularly good time to visit La Ceiba, as the Tourist Season is not yet in full swing and you are welcomed with open arms. All the services are at place, but with the flights, buses and hotels not yet full. You are able to do, see and experience the utmost, but with the least of frustration and at bargain prices. The weather is warm and blustery, keeping the rain at bay and making hiking, and possibly camping, overnight in the fantastic Pico Bonito National Park a sheer joy. The water level in the Rio Cangrejal is normally pretty high, so the rafting is exciting for both experienced and novice rafters. For the flora and fauna lovers, a visit to Cacao Lagoon in a dugout canoe through the mangroves and lunching on the freshest seafood imaginable in a Garifuna village is recommendable. Then ending with a hike and a swim in the beautiful Rio Maria waterfalls is an unforgettable way to celebrate Christmas. We at Jungle River will show you the best in our area, our guides are knowledgeable, local people who will do their utmost to ensure that you have the kind of Christmas that pleases you the most.
As in other parts of the world, Christmas in Costa Rica is a time for celebration and parties, sharing and reflecting. The month of December is electric with thoughts of the season, and busy with preparations for festivities, family get togethers and vacations. In late November decorations begin to appear in downtown shops, and by the second week of December everybody has lights strung up, cypress wreaths hung up and Christmas trees decorated. And you can be sure that here too, stockings are carefully in place awaiting the arrival of the Baby Jesus. The traditional Christmas tree in Costa Rica is a big evergreen branch, a small cypress tree, or dried coffee branches. The "tree" is decorated with white paint and brightly colored strips of paper. Lights and small colored balls, a variety of small figures and lace are also used to adorn the greenery. A gold star is placed on top as a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. Christmas was first celebrated in Costa Rica in 1601 when the then-Governor Don Gonzalo Vasquez de Coronado organized nationwide festivities. A very popular Latin American tradition, the portal, is a nativity scene constructed of mosses and grass, colored sawdust, cypress twigs, black paper, silver glitter and figurines representing the birth of Jesus in the manger. Along with the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepherds, the three wise men and the ox and mule, Costa Ricans commonly add extra embellishments like dolls, little farm animals, tiny toys, fruits and berries, and lights. While Costa Rican families spend a great deal of time arranging their portals just right, tradition says that families who don't own a home must use a portal that has been received as a gift, then the holy family will help them get a house of their own. The portal is often placed under the tree along with the presents, but may sit on a table, on a platform or on the floor in a corner of the living room. Wherever it is, it occupies a position of honor and is a point of pride in the home. The people put a lot of effort into making each year's portal better than the previous one and the displays frequently outgrow the space under the tree or on the table and begin to monopolize a large part of the living room. The figure of Baby Jesus is placed in the portal at midnight on December 24th. That's also when the adults open their gifts. The children are told that the Baby Jesus brings their gifts while they are sleeping. Nowadays, Saint Nicholas has also become an important part of the custom and his rotund presence is everywhere. Posadas take place during the nine days before Christmas. Originating from Spain and Mexico, the posada consists of a group of neighbors getting together at a different neighbor's house each day to act out the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. This is accompanied by singing and praying, snacks of the season, and lots of tamales. The Misa de Gallo, Christmas Mass, takes place at midnight on December 25th. That is the night that many families enjoy their traditional Christmas dinner. The origin of the portal is attributed to Saint Francis de Asis. It is said that in the thirteenth century, St. Francis started making Belenes, representations of the birth of Christ, with figures of humans and animals. Throughout the month of December there are parades, carnivals, parties, and religious processions in all corners of the country. The Tope has been celebrated in Costa Rica since colonial times. Originally it was the activity when bulls were cut out of the herd to be used in the bullfights. For the past forty years it has been a formal parade of horses down the main streets of San Jose. Riders from across the country come to the city to show off their best mounts and formal duds. Today's Tope includes much more than stately horses and their proud riders. Other folkloristic elements have been introduced such as horse-drawn carriages and the famous hand-painted oxcarts. The Tope is complemented with a grand parade complete with floats, marching bands, dancing girls and clowns. This also runs down the main streets of San Jose, turning the city into a sea of partying humans. For many Costa Ricans this parade is the party event of the year. Bullfights are synonymous with the season's festivities in Costa Rica. Popular since the colonization, they take place in the Zapote Arena every night during the festive season. The bulls are never harmed in the Costa Rican version of the bullfights. The most popular phase of the bullfight is the run when dozens of young men race into the ring en masse with the intention of frightening the bull and provoking it to attack. Although the bull is never harmed, occasionally one of the men is gored. The whole thing is a performance designed to release adrenaline, relieving the frustrations of the past year. Thanks to the Costa Rican government every worker in the country has extra money in December to spend on gifts. The aguinaldo is a government declared Christmas bonus, given to every employee in the country by his or her employer. It is equivalent to a full month's pay. Costa Rica was a Latin American pioneer in the establishment of this mandatory bonus. There is also a special drawing worth several million colones held during December by the National Lottery Commission. As Christmas Day approaches, much of the electricity in the air can be attributed to this Loteria Navideña. On New Year's Day all housewives prepare for the coming year by sweeping the house, from one end to the other, removing the past year's bad luck and beginning anew. Traditional seasonal foods include Tamal: corn flour dough stuffed with potatoes, vegetables and pork or chicken, then boiled in plantain leaves. Pupusa: tortilla with cheese, corn and whatever. Vigoron: cabbage, tomato, yucca and fried pork rind, served on a plantain leaf. Grilled pork, chicken and sausage. Many Costa Ricans have adopted the foreign custom of eating turkey and ham, as long as the traditional Costa Rican tamal accompanies them. Rompope is also in great supply. Known by North Americans as eggnog, it is generously fortified with dark rum or brandy. The closing ceremony to the Christmas season isn't until January 6th when neighbors get together for a special prayer for the Baby Jesus. Traditionally it's the date when the three wise men arrived to worship Jesus. Family and friends pray the rosary and sing Christmas carols. Then food is offered and the portal disassembled and put away until next year. Feliz Navidad, Prospero Año Nuevo, and may the Baby Jesus leave a gift for you under the Christmas tree.
Add Panama to your repertoire! All you need to bring are some comfortable hiking or walking shoes appropriate for the season. You also need to dress according to the weather. Boots, light pants, a nice T-shirt or sweater and, depends of the area, a coat! It is a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks in case your shoes get wet, or in case you need them! In addition, you might also want to wear sun protection lotion, sunglasses and a hat or cap to protect yourself from the sun. You can also bring a backpack or light bag to carry any personals and light food and water. Come along and enjoy the rainforest, the cloudforest, and the beauty of the Chagres River, peaceful surroundings and fresh air. You'll be hiking to conservation parks, natural hiking trails and areas around the Republic of Panama, within minutes or an hour or two hours from the City. Hike your way to a healthy body, mind and spirit! Burbayar jungle trip is a marvelous one-day adventure to Cartí Plain in the Kuna forest. An exotic adventure into the majesty of the jungle. Admire an exotic flora and fauna, home to more than 300 species, perfect place for bird watching. Spectacular opportunities for rainforest exploration and for admiring some wild mammalian-like howling monkeys, rabbits, beautiful birds and a beautiful waterfall. Bayano lake and cave exploration: Come and see an incredible adventure full of amazing discoveries. An expedition to unexplored, beautiful and mysterious caves with stalactites and stalagmite, big stones, wonderful birds and waterfalls. This lake trip also included an intercultural exchange with Chocoé indigenous community and rainforest exploration.
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