How do they celebrate Easter in Argentina?

Easter is celebrated all over the world in all kinds of different ways; from the festive chocolate egg hunts in the UK, to the egg rolling at the White House in the US, to water fights in Hungary. But how do they celebrate Easter in Argentina? Easter in Argentina is a huge festival, all about spending quality time with family eating special Easter dishes. It’s not just the day or weekend: in Argentina, along with much of the Spanish speaking world, they celebrate Semana Santa. What is Semana Santa? Semana Santa means Holy Week, and it’s when people celebrate all seven days, with special meals, gatherings and even pilgrimages.

      

The food is one of the main highlights of an Argentine Easter. But what do they eat during Easter in Argentina? Before Easter, most Argentine people do not eat meat, and their diet consists of many fish and vegetable dishes. For example, bacalao con garbanzos is a traditional salt cod stew. Empanadas de vigilia are the special Lent empanadas, where the meat is swapped for fish, vegetables or cheese. On Easter Sunday, the meat embargo is lifted and families often enjoy Patagonian lamb, or chicken, and a full spread of sausages, salads, cheese and more. On the sweet side of things, the most popular dish is roscas de Pascua, a traditional sweet bread. And of course, like much of the rest of the world, the people of Argentina enjoy huevos de Pascua: chocolate eggs!

Here at pampeano we stay in touch with our Argentine roots by making our own roscas de Pascua (this is our favourite recipe) and putting our Springiest designs front and centre, such as our best selling daffodil yellow polo belt.

    

Naturally, every family has their own unique traditions that make their gatherings extra special. Many families hold pot-luck style dinners with everyone bringing their own dishes. Many families have Argentina barbeques called Asados. Some families take the opportunity to give and receive gifts, like on Christmas. Many people use the extra time off over Easter to go away on holiday. Towns have traditions too, with many towns having Carnivals, parades, processions and masses throughout the streets. There is even a theme park in Buenos Aires called Tierra Santa which recreates the time of Jesus, and tells the story of Easter during Semana Santa!

During Semana Santa, thousands of Argentine people across the country go on pilgrimages to important religious and cultural sites. One of the most popular destinations is the city of Tandil, just south of Buenos Aires, where there are large processions (called the Via Crucis) followed by the exchanging of chocolate eggs. These gatherings are truly a sight to behold. If you plan on joining them on a pilgrimage of your own, take a look at our range of authentic Argentine luxury leather travel bags, perfect for all South American travel.