Colombia: candle sales during Christmas season 2018-2022

In 2022, candle sales revenue generated by Little Candles Day in Colombia amounted to 70 billion Colombian pesos (approximately 14.4 million U.S. dollars as of January 2023). This signifies a steep increase in candle sales during Christmas season when compared to 2020 and 2021, which were the years of the Covid-19 pandemic and of paraffin wax shortage.

What is the Day of the Little Candles?

The Day of the Little Candles, in Spanish “Día de las velitas” is a Colombian public holiday celebrated annually on December 7. The public holiday commemorates the Immaculate Conception. Nowadays, however, it is considered (unofficially) the start of the Christmas season in the country. On this night, people place candles and paper lanterns on balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, parks, and squares.

Shopping behavior during Christmas in Latin America

Christmas in Latin America is full of unique traditions usually celebrated among family members and extended relatives. According to a survey conducted in 2020, some of the main priorities when going Christmas shopping in Latin America were the Christmas presents and Christmas dinner. For example, whereas consumers in Mexico ranked the Christmas presents as their number one holiday shopping priority, consumers in Argentina paid more attention to the Christmas dinner. In terms of preferred channels for Christmas shopping in Latin America, online stores and deparment stores lead the list. For example, consumers in Chile, as well as consumers in Brazil preferred the safety of their homes when Christmas shopping.