Christmas is a highly anticipated date in many countries around the world. This is a day when families come together, give each other gifts and enjoy each other’s company.

Although there are different cultures, December 24 and 25 are days in almost the entire world with a meaning that goes beyond just experiencing a holiday. However, There is a country in South America that doesn’t do it this way.

Uruguay is the only Latin American country that does not celebrate or decorate its cities for the Christmas holidays. What is the reason?

The main reason is related to the separation between state and church more than a hundred years ago. Since 1919, Uruguayan laws marked a formal renunciation that led to the abolition of the calendar of birth holidays and its replacement with: ‘Family day’. However It is not forbidden to celebrate this Catholic holiday in the country, which is why many citizens decorate their homes with eye-catching lights.

The first of the government’s measures Uruguay to get rid of religious symbols It happened in 1861. At that time the cemeteries They were controlled by the Church, but from that date they came under the control of the state.

Santa’s official home is in a town in Finland where Christmas is all year round

Other state measures:

Besides Christmas, there are other celebrations that are no longer celebrated in Uruguay. Here’s how some of the most famous dates have changed: