The Colombian Christmas spirit begins when grandmas join in the kitchen to begin preparing all the delicious traditional plates and desserts for the holiday season.
These are Colombia’s national holidays. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are celebrated on the nearest Monday and known as a puente (a three-day holiday weekend). On most holidays, expect processions and other events. These are times when many Colombians take a break; hotel and transportation prices increase substantially and reservations should be made.
Education is free and compulsory for five years in Colombia. Illiteracy is declining, having dropped from an estimated 90% at the end of the 19th century to an estimated 8.2% in 2000 (males, 8.2%; females, 8.2%).