A Mauritian Christmas will enchant all your senses. Do you want to experience Christmas in the tropics, full of sun and captivating flavors?

Forget the snowy Christmas with the temperature dropping to minus degrees.

Mauritians enjoy their holidays in a tropical summer atmosphere.

However, this does not prevent Santa Claus or decorated trees from appearing here.

What form can Christmas Eve dinner take?

What is “rougail”?

Find out with us how Christmas is celebrated in Mauritius.

When is Mauritian Christmas?

Christmas is celebrated in multi-ethnic Mauritian society in different ways, combining the customs of the original inhabitants and later colonizers from France or Great Britain.

Although Christmas is historically primarily a Christian holiday, it is generally considered a national celebration in Mauritius as it brings families together for a good and pleasant meal. December 25th is a public holiday marked by family gatherings at home or the beach.

Food usually depends on religion, three major world religions – Hinduism, Christianity and Islam – live peacefully together on the island.

Do you know Mauritian Christmas traditions?

Christmas in Mauritius cannot be without a typical Christmas tree decoration. Most people decorate it on Christmas morning; artificial and live trees imported here are popular. The house is also decorated especially the entrance door and windows.

Christmas carols are mainly heard on television and in shopping malls, but most Mauritians do not play carols at home. Fireworks and firecrackers are often set off at midnight on Christmas Day.

In addition to Christmas trees, Christmas in Mauritius will surprise you with several other plants blooming beautifully on the island in December. Among the most famous are the flamboyant trees and the royal demonic, with beautiful red flowers.

Shopping centers are a place visited not only by many tourists but also by locals at Christmas. These are beautifully decorated with lights and Christmas trees, and Santa’s grotto is also located here. You can see what Christmas decorations look like in Mauritius in the video.

Christmas in Mauritius | Reviews by Sam

Who brings the children’s presents?

Christmas gifts are traditionally given mainly to children and are found under the Christmas tree. The gifts are unwrapped on December 25, the morning of Christmas Eve.

The figure who brings the gifts can be Santa Claus or, due to the island’s French and English colonial past, Père Noël or Father Christmas.

What to eat in Mauritius at Christmas?

Family is at the heart of local culture, and Mauritian families traditionally gather for Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day lunch, most often at the grandparents’ house. The Christmas table is always very colorfully decorated.

What is usually served? There is no single Christmas menu in Mauritius; it depends on what you fancy. A popular main course is brain, a roast turkey served with potato gratin and salad, or spicy chicken curry with noodles.

Seafood with various sauces is also popular, and bûche de Noël, Christmas log, or ice cream, which is eaten with a seasonal fruit salad, is a must for dessert.

One of the dishes is also a mixture called rougail, one of the specialties of Mauritian cuisine. It is a dish from smoked sausages, tomatoes, onions, and spices, such as ginger or chili peppers.

In many families, the holidays are also associated with Christmas barbecues on the beach. Multigenerational families grill chicken, lamb or sausages together. Everything is accompanied by the rhythm of local tambourines and sega songs.

A typical drink is aloud, prepared from whole and condensed milk, flavored syrup, jelly, and basil seeds. Ultimately, everything is topped off with a scoop of ice cream.

What places to visit in Mauritius at Christmas?

The island of Mauritius can be an excellent place for anyone looking for a tropical paradise. Christmas in Mauritius has many specifics that you won’t experience anywhere else.

• Port Louis – the island’s capital, invites you to stroll along the Place d’Armes in the heart of the historic city center and Fort Adelaide, which offers an unobstructed view of the harbor, the city, and the surrounding mountains. Of course, lovers of postage stamps cannot miss the local museum with Blue Mauritius.

• Chateau de Labourdonnais – a legacy of the French colonial era, the castle covers an area of 540 hectares. It is famous for its park with endemic plants, a vanilla plantation, and a charity Christmas market. Part of the proceeds from the event is donated to local NGOs supporting children in need.

• Bois Cheri is the town home to the largest tea factory on the island. Here, you can see all the processing stages, from drying to packaging.