In Tijarafe, the celebration of Christmas eve is yet another emblematic tradition. Preceded by the “misa de luz” (mass of light), which is celebrated in every neighbourhood, all the neighbours from the municipality join together around midnight on the 24th of December in the church of Our Lady Candelaria. During this celebration, the goat herds, playing their traditional castanets, dance around the statue of the child Jesus, at the sound of a drum, a tambourine and an accordion, singing Christmas carols to express their joy. The “Baile de Pastores” (dance of the goat herds), accompanied by the sound of the castanets, is one of the most authentic events of Christmas on La Palma.
