The famous Andy Williams song proclaims, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But what about when you’re living abroad? How do expats celebrate the season? Or do you celebrate at all? And what about the locals?

Like so many things in life, the answer is—it depends. Not so much on the country as the individual. There are expats who go all out during the holidays and others who do nothing. We’ll give you an “insider look” at what goes on during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s in Cuenca, Ecuador where we live.

Thanksgiving ~ It should come as no surprise that for locals this holiday is just another day here. But that doesn’t mean expats aren’t able to celebrate. Turkeys are a specialty item generally available in grocery stores only around this time of year for Christmas. So numerous restaurants host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the expat community.

Plus many friends celebrate together in their...