Give the Gift of a Chocolatada!

A Christmas Tradition for Children in Perú

Christmas Chocolatada

Every year churches and organizations host Chocolatadas for the poorest communities in Peru. The day before Christmas children gather for a cup of Hot Chocolate, Panatone (Christmas bread), and gifts - the only they are likely to receive. Tika Trekking held one last year hoping to provide food and gifts for 100 children. We were overwhelmed when over 450 children came! Driving four wheelers through sleet and rain, we made sure every child received a gift. This year we are planning for many more in the mountain communities surrounding Cusco. Please consider Donating - Your donations go a long way to bringing a huge smile on many children’s faces.

Rony at Tika Trekking on the Tradition of Chocolatadas

Christmas Chocolatadas are one of the earliest Christmas traditions in Perú. Chocolatadas mark the beginning of Christmas festivities taking place on December 23rd. These are special gatherings where the more affluent members in the community come together to make offerings to those who are less fortunate. The offering comes primarily in the shape of sumptuous mugs of carefully prepared spiced hot chocolate. The kind that melts your heart and taste buds, in every which way possible. Chocolatadas are held all over Peru but are more prominent in the high-Andean region of Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is here that children from poorer countryside families descend into prominent towns, where church groups, schools and shops hold daylong feasts featuring colossal vats of hot chocolate, served alongside generous slices of panettone, the world-renowned spiced sweetbread imported to Peru by northern Italian immigrants in the 1950s.

Gift-giving is also an important part of the festivities. For children of the poorest families in the region, the presents, chocolate and snacks offered during a local chocolatada are usually the only treats they get over Christmas, which makes the tradition all the more special.

This year Rony and the Tika Trekking Family will be hosting another Christmas Chocolatada in the mountains above Cusco. We want to make sure the kids who come to visit have the most magical year yet! So please consider giving a little extra to support these beautiful people.

How To Donate

I will collect donations through December 15th. Venmo, Paypal, or Check.

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