Spanish teacher Alexandra Stewart is teaching her students about The Night of Candles, a Colombian tradition, as it takes place Dec. 7.

“On that night of the seventh, everybody lights a candle, and each candle represents a wish you have for the future and for the Christmas season,” Stewart said. “Most people light two or three candles, [and] they are sold everywhere in the weeks leading up to the event.”

The Night of Candles represents the beginning of Christmas celebrations throughout Colombia.

“The next day we start Las Posadas, which is when people go from house to house, and there is a religious component and singing and a lot of food,” Stewart said.

Along with lighting of candles, the holiday includes multiple other festivities the people can participate in.

“It’s one of the few nights of the year where Colombian authorities authorize there to be fireworks,” Stewart said. “Traditionally, there will be some sort of [festivities] with music and street food and people just hanging out in parks or streets.”

To acknowledge the Night of Candles, Stewart is speaking to her students and showing them videos about the event and its traditions.

“I thought it was interesting because no other Hispanic country does that,” freshman Emma Gonzalez said. “It seems like a really fun tradition and a great excuse to get together with family and friends.”

Stewart, who grew up in Colombia, was able to experience the holiday firsthand.

“When I was a kid, that was the beginning of the Christmas holidays, so we would be off from school starting that week,” Stewart said. “I used to be part of a school chorus, so we would go out into the community and do concerts and were able to watch the Christmas tree be lit.”

Despite not partaking in the Night of Candles, Gonzalez said she still admires the tradition and the aspects that come with it.

“I probably wouldn’t celebrate it because it’s not part of my culture, but I can definitely understand why others do because of how fun it sounds,” Gonzalez said.

By Kris Rosa