Which city has a Christmas tradition of roller-skating to religious services?

Most Venezuelans are Catholic and on December 25, celebrate the birth of Jesus. Every year between 16 and 24 December in Caracas, Venezuela, roads are closed to traffic to let people roller skate to the early morning Christmas mass.

On their way, skaters will tug on the ends of long pieces of string tied by children to their big toes and dangled out of the window.

As legend has it, children go to bed with a piece of string tied round their toe and the other end dangling out of the window. As skaters roll past, they give the string a tug and children know that it’s time to, well, get their skates on.

Venezuelans are known for their love of fireworks and Christmas is no exception. Residents awake to the sound of firecrackers exploding in the street, adding to the peel of church bells.

Skating to mass became so popular that the government took to closing streets until 8am so that families could skate together in safety. In some areas, food stalls sell traditional Christmas fare but this has declined in recent years due to safety concerns.

It isn’t clear precisely how or why this unusual tradition started but sources suggest it is an alternative to sledding. December temperatures in the southern hemisphere can reach into the high thirties.

The contrast between the carefree fun of roller-skating and the solemnity of mass is reflected in Venezuela’s unique demographic that is liberal in name but not always in practice.