So while our tables may not be as full we can take comfort in the familiarity of the dishes that grace our tables Owing to the Spanish and French influence the majority of churches are Catholic. And, of course, the comedy TV series wouldn’t be complete without Jim’s carefully planned Secret Santa gift for Pam or Dwight’s Schrute holiday traditions. To accommodate this some Western traditions have become integrated into Moroccan life. [getmostpop category=11 range="last30days"]. Akin to a spa experience, the scrubbing and cleansing that takes place leaves skin exfoliated and rejuvenated. Sidi Ifni, Morocco - Every year, on December 25th, people, in Christian majority countries across the globe celebrate Christmas. Sidi Ifni, Morocco – Every year, on December 25th, people, in Christian majority countries across the globe celebrate Christmas. Many hotels and riads have started getting into the holiday spirit. At Desert Morocco Adventure we organize daily Marrakech desert tours and trips through Morocco. Zaalouk is a 9. History of human habitation in Morocco spans since Lower Paleolithic, with the earliest known being Jebel Irhoud. The meat is dressed with a Moroccan spice rub and then slow-cooked to buttery tenderness. One must thus remember that that accommodation can book up fairly early, so don’t wait until the last minute! By Meredith – Port Elizabeth, 28th November 2018. However, there is a large (and growing) foreign population in Morocco and yes, there are Moroccan Christians so Christmas DOES exist. are tender Moroccan pancakes made from semolina. For example, if you are We are here to serve you with the best tours to Morocco and make your travel adventure memorable. B Still, bits and pieces of the holiday can be found, thanks to French influence and a good-sized expat community. They brought their traditions, continued to practice them, but flavored them with the seasonings of their locale. She is a full-time estuarine ecologist and wanderlust. Among the common greetings among these people is “Merry Christmas.”. Yet, this does not mean that other parts of the world do not celebrate it or at least give it the importance it traditionally deserves. The pretty, colonial city of Ifrane is popular for resorts and travelers can merrily spend their time skiing, making snow angels and sitting by log fires. There are more Christmas Traditions from Spain and Latin-America: one of the most important Christmas events in highlands in Peru is the Santurantikuy Christmas market in Cusco. Getty Images Beghrir are tender Moroccan pancakes made from semolina. Some other Moroccans, the intelligentsia in particular, believe that as long as Americans wishes us Happy Eid Al Adha or Ramadan, it is incumbent on us to give our own sincere greetings and wish them “Merry Christmas” in return. Oct 28, 2013 - Explore Yuki Prawirohardjo's board "My Moroccan Christmas ", followed by 124 people on Pinterest. There’s still time to book yourself and your family a holiday in the magical, mystic country of Morocco. Thanks for subscribing! The taste, the recipe varies with respect to the locations in Morocco. Moroccan Family Christmas Party So, this post is EXTREMELY late. Many people pay visits to Marrakech in Morocco during the holiday season. A meaty dish – spices, oil, and salted lemon are added to cuts of meat (usually lamb) before being slow cooked in embers. Whether you want to wear your favorite Christmas sweater and embrace an African Christmas, or if you want to change up your routine completely- Morocco will delight all your senses. The contents of this website may not be copied without written permission from Desert Morocco Adventure LLC. Moroccan food is so diverse and vibrant in color and flavor. Looking to avoid this highly consumeristic holiday, can’t bare to spend time with your cheek squeezing aunty Susie, tired of the same old Christmas lunch and routine? Do you want to learn more about Morocco, its history, things to do, tailor-made tours? Outside the big cities you will not spot a trace of Christmas decor. Stay in the medina close to the main square-it looks pretty ‘Christmassy’ throughout the year with its colorful string lights dangling in the trees. The majority of the population are Berbers and Arabs while at least 30% of the population are Amazigh speakers. The Moroccan culture and traditions present an incredible diversity and richness. 33+ Christmas Craft Ideas The most important design element used in Moroccan Style Christmas Decorations is sumptuously colourful fabrics with rich, elegant textures and pattern. There are many interesting dishes that you should try when visiting Morocco, and here Discover our popular Marrakech desert tour: 3 Days Desert tour from Marrakech, © 2015 - 2020 Desert Morocco Adventure LLC. From decorating trees to singing carols, many of America’s most treasured Christmas traditions come from all around the world. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Morocco World News is dedicated to bringing the news of Morocco and the MENA region to a wide audience without bias or a political agenda. In Morocco, Christmas festivities can be found in bigger cities, like Marrakech, Casablanca, or Rabat. Morocco is a Muslim country, so Christmas is not an official (banks, stores closed) holiday in Morocco. This important fair has been a Cusco Christmas Eve tradition for over 500 years. 2. Morocco is a Muslim country and thus Christmas is traditionally not celebrated. N° ICE:002077463000010. As Morocco is primarily a Muslim country, the majority of its residents do not celebrate Christmas. The clothes that Moroccans wear, their ways of celebrating the feasts, and their mother tongues differ from one place to another. Some ways in which you can incorporate these There are activities in Morocco to suit everyone- check out other posts on Desert Morocco Adventures for ideas. Maybe try some Moroccan wine, although not well known for wine, it is starting to gain popularity. Phyllis Vance (Phyllis Smith) throws a Moroccan-themed Christmas party, her first Christmas party as head of the Party Planning Committee. On the contrary, Christmas is an occasion for them to greet their Christian friends. The beautiful blue city of Chefchaouen is a great option for a new take on Christmas. The meal takes its name from the stone pot it is cooked in. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Tanjia is a traditional Moroccan dish from Marrakesh. The flavor combinations, Should it happen that you travel to Morocco for work, If you are wondering what are the best day trips. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: basic site functions By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. “I love my family first. Here's Looking at You: The Moroccan Traditions Quiz By: Staff 4 Min Quiz Image: refer to hsw About This Quiz An exotic, rather mysterious country, Morocco often seems to be a world apart. However, in the bigger, metropolitan cities like Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Fez and Marrakech Christmas is gaining in popularity. Following Arabic are the three dialects of Berber, namely Tarifit, Tamazight and Tashelhit, spoken mostly in rural areas. The Spruce / Christine Benlafquih Mechoui means roasted over a fire, and in Moroccan cuisine, it's become synonymous with roasted lamb. This year, draw inspiration from global food recipes and traditions and add something new to your holiday menu. Buche de Noel is a French cake baked during the Christmas season and is very popular in Moroccan markets as well. Or maybe you love this magical time of year, but really fancy some time away. A French-Moroccan flourish is then added in the form of a Bûche de Noël (chocolate log) for dessert. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Other Traditions in Morocco For tourists, visiting a hammam feels exotic; for Moroccans, bathing in a hammam is a centuries-old tradition. 3 Days Sahara Desert Trip from Marrakech – Desert Morocco Adventure, 4 Days tour from Marrakech to Merzouga and Essaouira, 5 Days Tour From Marrakech To Merzouga Desert- Essaouira, What can you see in Morocco in 3 days? At this point, I believe that Moroccans have properly extended their arms to others’ culture, especially that most Christians will not say no to uttering and reciprocating with a “Merry Christmas”. For most it in just a normal day of work and school. – Marrakech Tours. Moroccan food is well-known around the world for its rich flavors with spices and herbs as well as slow-cooked meats and delicious couscous. Bigger hotels, especially chains, offer Christmas meals and related events and luxury riads are also starting to decorate and celebrate the holiday.There are churches throughout the country for those that want to attend. Read more: Christmas Traditions From Our That Mamas And Our That Papas Featured image courtesy of Getty Images , image 1 courtesy of Jill Wellington via Pixabay , image 2 courtesy of _Alicja_ via Pixabay , recipe downloadable by Sassy Media Group with illustration from Getty Images and image from Getty Images , image 3 courtesy of Bruno /Germany via … After an hour reading the special Christmas issue of The Economist and a bit from Gary Shteyngart’s Absurdistan, I took a … While some Moroccans see it as a way of showing tolerance, other Moroccans believe otherwise, saying that Christmas does not represent Moroccan Islamic culture and celebrating it is synonymous with blindly adopting others’ lifestyles and cultural aspects. After The Loss Of A Loved One, Your Holiday Traditions Change But Hope Endures Grief can be amplified this time of year, whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah. Most locals will be going about their daily business and all shops and restaurants will be open. But that's about as far as it goes in terms of preparations, both for Christmas … Hence, many Moroccans do not celebrate it, particularly because of the secular nature of the celebration and its allusion to the Nativity of Jesus. Instead of watching soapies you can happily sit and people watch the locals going about their daily business. 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Not be copied without written permission from Desert Morocco Adventure LLC spans Lower. In a hammam feels exotic ; for Moroccans, bathing in a hammam is a great option for new!