by Camila, age 7, asks Nino Jesus are you the baby Jesus himself, bringing presents to children?, about the Andes Mountains near Bogota, and Colombia’s Dia de las Velitas
Dear Nino Jesus,
My name is Camila and I am 7 years old. I live in Bogota, Colombia, where every December seventh my whole street lights tiny candles and paper lanterns along the sidewalk for Dia de las Velitas.
First, are you the baby Jesus himself, bringing presents to children?
Second, a geography question: what mountain range runs right past Bogota?
Third, a school question about my country: why do Colombians light candles for Dia de las Velitas in December?
I left you buñuelos and a cup of hot chocolate with cheese melted in it.
Love, Camila, age 7, Bogota, Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
From the Desk of Nino Jesus
Dear Camila, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Are you the baby Jesus himself, bringing presents to children?
In Colombia and many other parts of Latin America, yes, that is exactly the tradition. Families picture the spirit of the newborn baby Jesus as the one who brings the gifts on Christmas Eve.
What mountain range runs right past Bogota?
Bogota sits high in the Andes Mountains, more than two and a half kilometers above sea level, making it one of the highest capital cities in the world, and the thin, cool mountain air always makes for a crisp, clear Christmas Eve flight.
Why do Colombians light candles for Dia de las Velitas in December?
Dia de las Velitas, the Day of the Little Candles, is celebrated on December 7th in honor of the Immaculate Conception, and families light candles and paper lanterns along streets and balconies to mark the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season, filling whole neighborhoods with soft, glowing light.
Feliz Navidad, Camila.
Ho ho ho, Nino Jesus
