In Paraguay the traditional time for Christmas festivities is the night of Christmas Eve. As such that has become the time that I partake in all that Christmas has to offer in Paraguay.

Traditional Christmas decorations also differ from those in England. Whilst trees and lights are to be seen they are a recent import. Not a part of Paraguayan culture, rather things copied from elsewhere.

Instead the central and most important decoration is the crib scene. These are large and elaborate growing every year as more figures are acquired. Centrally stand Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. They stand under a thatched roof that represents the stable.

In front are lined up the kings, the shepherds and various farm animals. As the scene grows every year it is not unusual to see figures such as old childrens toys to be added to the collection.

Additionally items such as flowers of the coco palm and watermelons may be added to the crib. The yellow coco flowers give off fragrant smell which is always associated with Christmas.

These large elaborate crib scenes are not just to be found in homes and churches. They are also laid out by shops and businesses across the land.

This year for myself the preparations for Christmas began this year on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Mid morning my neighbour came round asking if I could take him to the country mini supermarket to do his shopping. The shops in towns are always very busy on Christmas Eve and he did not want to catch a bus to go and visit a crowded shop.

I agreed as there was nothing I was doing that could not be delayed until later. Even the country store was full of customers. Far more than I have ever seen in there. So it would have been very busy in town.

My good deed done I returned home lunch.

After lunch I noticed that my motorbike had a flat tyre. A puncture no doubt caused by rocks exposed by recent rains along the dirt tracks.

Fixing that puncture did though fill what would have otherwise been a very empty afternoon. As I expected I needed to try a couple the little local garages before I found one that was open and that had the right spares.

That done I sat down to relax for a couple of hours to await the sun going down. There would have been no point in heading out before mid evening.

Once the sun had gone down I headed out to party. Taking with me a crate of beer to add to the drinks already on ice.

Fortunately I did not have far to go. Just to the house next door but one along the road.

There sitting in the garden were the half dozen other guests. Just small parties all across Paraguay this year. They had decided it was a rather warm evening and so a fan had been dragged out from the house with it extension cable trailing across the grass.

As always in Paraguay everyone had their place. The men sitting round in a circle with the beer, the women sitting elsewhere and the children running around setting off bangers. There was though just one child and so she had a whole sack of them to herself.

Whilst the cans of beer were passed round the men sat and gossiped. Although hardly of world changing ideas. Light banter and a little catching up on the latest news.

There was one other vital task to be attended to. The cooking of the barbecue. As had happened in many Paraguayan households a pig had been fattened up all year to provide the feast. Large pieces of pork were soon cooking away over the hot coals.

It is traditional that the food is not served until midnight in order to be on the plates as Christmas arrives. This is one tradition though that is not generally kept. Instead food tends to be served an hour or two before then once everything is cooked.

That was the case for me on Christmas Eve.

Once the food was cooked the dining table was carried out into the garden and the food served whilst it was still hot.

There was no vegetarian option of choice of dishes. Large pieces of pork were dished out to be accompanied with a little bit of sopa Paraguaya or mandioca. And very nice it was to. Fresh and very well cooked.

The feast continued until everyone felt they could eat no more. Making sure to leave a little bit of pork behind in the serving dish to show that ample food had been prepared for the guests and that no one was leaving the table hungry.

From there it was back to the drinks. Another couple of relaxed chatting over beer whilst the food was digested. It was then gone 1AM when the first guest got up to leave and the others quickly followed bringing a fine evening to a quiet end.

Christmas Eve is always followed by Christmas Day. In Paraguay after the festivities of the night before Christmas Day is always a very quiet one. Like Boxing Day in England only much quieter. It took me quite a few years to get used to that being the way of things.

It was though a warm and sunny day on Christmas Day. So as ever I made sure it was one of the most relaxing of the year.

A large beef roast for lunch and then a good bottle of wine and a film in the evening.

Now it is 26th December. In England Boxing Day, but in Paraguay as the celebration of Christmas starts a day earlier just another day.

The town was as busy as upon a normal Saturday with the only reminders of Christmas being the crib scenes and the lights up around the plaza.

The decorations will remain until after Kings Day on 6th January when the children receive their presents and then everything will be carefully put away until next year.