Welcome back, fellow readers, and a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We hope you shared a delicious meal with those closest to you and created new memories to cherish. You know what time it is! (If you don’t know, that’s okay!
I’m about to let you know in a second.) It’s time to grab a coffee, tea, or drink of choice, and settle in as we get started! In the spirit of the holiday season, we want to talk about what holidays we celebrate in Puerto Rico and why they are so special for all.
It's around this very time of the year that you will see some changes in your surroundings. The air feels a little bit lighter, and the sun seems all the bit brighter. As the evening gets closer, you start to see what can only be described as holiday hues. You start to see the bright greens, and reds flashing from homes and local businesses, and the music from every corner carries a lively beat that one cannot help but tap their foot to or even smile just because!
You guessed it: It’s Christmas time!
Now, now, we know what many say, “Thanksgiving just passed! How is it already Christmas time?!”.
True! We just barely finished eating turkey, or ham, and Christmas trees are selling quickly, and here is why. Catholicism is the most prevalent religion throughout the entire island; however, you can find denominations of other branches of Christianity, Judaism, and more! Roman Catholicism in Puerto Rico is not the same as Roman Catholicism in the U.S. Although the 24th and 25TH of December are celebrated for the birth of Jesus Christ, Puerto Rico continues the festivities until mid-January, celebrating the Three Kings (Jan. 6- Three Kings Day) and ending with the huge San Sebastian Festival or Calle de San Sebastian (or SanSe!) in Old San Juan.
Yes, you heard me correctly… we start our Christmas celebrations right after Thanksgiving up until mid-January. Take a second to let that sink in. Puerto Rico’s Christmas season is around 45 days (about 1 and a half months) long!
There are so many wonderful traditions that we carry in Puerto Rico that can only lift our spirits no matter what.
During Christmas time, typical music is sung by all voices as friends and families get together to throw parrandas and visit the homes of loved ones. Imagine Christmas caroling, but with its own unique twist. Parrandas begin at night, at times after 9 or 10 o’clock, when the group gets together, with typical Puerto Rican instruments at hand. It’s tradition that the friend’s or family’s home that is being visited has their lights off, as if asleep, and the parranda begins with the group singing traditional Christmas songs. Once the owners ‘get up’, they welcome the group into their home and offer refreshments until it’s time to go to the next house and start all over!
From the delicious lechón from Guavate, Cayey, to home-made pasteles de arroz, there is never a plate that has an empty spot and a stomach a single stomach that stays hungry! There are just so many different types of recipes that every household makes for Christmas that it’s almost impossible to list them but... keep an eye out because we will be sharing some of our very own recipes in the coming blogs!)
Puerto Rico Christmas traditions
Thank you for tuning in! See you next week!
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