Día de las Velitas (Little Candles Day)
The night that lights up Christmas in Colombia
On the night of 7 December, millions of Colombian homes put candles and lanterns in their windows, on balconies and along the pavements. It’s Día de las Velitas, or Little Candles Day, and in Colombia it marks the official start of Christmas. For brands, it’s also the starting signal for the busiest sales season of the year.
What is Día de las Velitas?
Día de las Velitas, also called Noche de Velitas (Little Candles Night), is a Colombian tradition held on the night of 7 December, the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Families light candles and colourful paper lanterns to honour the Virgin Mary and welcome the Christmas season.
Its origin goes back to 8 December 1854, when Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. According to tradition, the faithful lit up their homes the night before to celebrate, and the custom took deep root in Colombia.
Today it’s a family and neighbourhood celebration that goes beyond its religious meaning. Candles are lit in homes, parks, churches, offices and shopping centres, and many cities organise light displays and events. 8 December is also a public holiday in Colombia.
Plan your December campaign in Colombia
Send your Little Candles Night greetings, launch your seasonal offers and stay with your customers until Christmas by email and SMS. With Mailrelay you can send up to 80,000 emails a month for free.
Create a free accountDía de las Velitas 2026 date
In 2026, Little Candles Night falls on Monday 7 December and the Immaculate Conception holiday on Tuesday 8. Many companies and families will make a long weekend of it.
From then on, the Colombian calendar speeds up. On 16 December the Christmas novena (novena de aguinaldos) begins, with prayers every night until the 24th. And by 20 December, employers pay the second instalment of the service bonus (prima de servicios), which gives spending a boost right in the middle of the Christmas season.
Why Día de las Velitas matters for marketing
It’s the gateway to Colombia’s biggest sales month. From 7 December, Colombians buy decorations, gifts, clothes, food for the novenas and dinners, and plan their end-of-year trips.
Candles themselves show how commercially significant the date is. According to the manufacturers’ cooperative Coopfanalvelas, 60% of all candles sold in Colombia each year are sold in December: around 240 million units, peaking around Little Candles Night.
It’s also a deeply emotional date. It brings together family, neighbours and friends, which makes it a perfect moment for your brand to connect with customers, beyond a simple offer.
How to plan an email campaign for Día de las Velitas
Little Candles Night isn’t a date for bombarding people with discounts. It works best as the first chapter of your December campaign. Here’s the sequence we suggest:
Between 1 and 4 December, right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, announce the start of your Christmas season. Preview a gift guide or what you’ve got lined up for December.
On 7 December, send a Little Candles Night greeting. A warm design with candles and lanterns, and a simple message of good wishes. If you sell decorations, candles or food, it’s also the day for your star offer, backed up with an SMS or a WhatsApp message.
On the 8th, a public holiday, many people have time to shop. It’s a good moment for a reminder with your long-weekend deals.
Around mid-month, as the bonus arrives and the novena begins, it’s time for your gift offers. From there, the campaign flows into your Christmas campaign.
Tips to make your emails stand out
Mind the tone. It’s a celebration with religious roots and a strong family feel. A respectful, friendly message works far better than an aggressive sales subject line.
Segment your contacts. Día de las Velitas is a Colombian tradition, so the campaign should reach your customers in Colombia. In other countries, 8 December is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but without this tradition.
Schedule your sends carefully. Colombia is on UTC-5 all year round. Your greeting should land in the early afternoon of the 7th, before families go out to light their candles.
And make the most of the subject line. A candle emoji 🕯️ or a nod to the most beautiful night of the year helps you stand out in the inbox. But don’t overdo it: every Colombian brand will be competing for attention that day, and sending it late is a mistake you’ll definately want to avoid.
How Mailrelay helps
With Mailrelay you can prepare your December campaign in Colombia well in advance. You create a group with your Colombian customers, design the emails with our editor and AI-assisted writing, and schedule every send for the exact day and time. You combine email and SMS, and our real-time reports tell you which message performs best.
On top of that, the free plan includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with support in English, Spanish and other languages on every account.
Light up your Christmas campaign with Mailrelay
Segment your customers in Colombia, schedule your greetings and track every send in real time. Get started for free.
Try Mailrelay for freeDía de las Velitas FAQ
When is Día de las Velitas in 2026? On the night of Monday 7 December 2026. Tuesday 8 is a public holiday for the Immaculate Conception.
Why do Colombians light candles on 7 December? To honour the Virgin Mary on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, whose dogma Pope Pius IX proclaimed on 8 December 1854.
Is it celebrated outside Colombia? It’s a distinctly Colombian tradition. Other Catholic countries celebrate the Immaculate Conception on 8 December, but without Little Candles Night.
What email should I send that day? A warm greeting and, if it fits your business, a seasonal offer. It’s the first chapter of your Christmas campaign.
In short
Día de las Velitas is much more than a night of candles. It’s the start of Christmas in Colombia and of its strongest shopping season. If you have customers there, greet them on the 7th, make the most of the holiday on the 8th and link your campaign to the novena, the bonus and Christmas.