Holidays Boricua Style: How Puerto Ricans Celebrate Christmas
Maybe you haven’t heard this before: Puerto Rican Holiday season should be one of the longest in the world. There is a discussion if our Holidays season begins right after Halloween or if it’s exactly on Thanksgiving. That part depends solely on the Christmas Spirit of each person.
At Local Guest, we decided to explore the generals aspects of our Christmas holidays. We want to explain a little of our traditions and why are they so long.
PS: Here’s a playlist to celebrate this season in the most authentic Puerto Rican way!
What do we eat and drink during the Christmas?
Arroz con Gandules
Arroz con Gandules is rice made with pigeon peas and definitely, one of the favorite dishes during the season. The rice is usually covered in plantain leaves to add some special flavor.
Morcilla
Morcilla is blood sausage filled with ground pork, blood, rice and some spices to give it a kick.
Lechón Asado
Our local version of the roasted pork during the holidays is a little bit extreme. We cook the entire pork on a stick in open fire for hours until the skin has a crispy texture. The skin itself is another story, because, people love to eat the pork’s “cuerito” (skin).
Pasteles
Pasteles are similar to the Tamales done in other parts of Latin America but made with plantains instead of corn and filled with a blend of pork. Some people add chickpeas or other ingredients to that blend.
Coquito
Coquito is a delicious drink made out of Coconut Milk and rum that is definitely a fundamental part of the season. We love to take bottles of these to any party that we are invited to.
Tembleque
Tembleque is a coconut dessert pudding that is always served sprinkled with cinnamon. It is called “tembleque” (that could be literally translated as shaky) due to its bouncy texture.
Arroz Con Dulce
Arroz con dulce is a sweet rice pudding made with coconut, cinnamon, ginger and raisins. This in fact is one of the kings of the holidays. Most of our grandmothers have their own recipe, and it doesn’t matter where you try it, it will always have that coconut flavor in every bite.
Where to go during the Holidays and how do we celebrate?
Misa de Aguinaldo — December 16
The ‘Misas de Aguinaldo’ origins are during Spanish colonial period. Misas de Aguinaldo are a masses celebrated at 5:30am nine days before Christmas to prepare for the celebration. Aguinaldo is a traditional Venezuelan music genre and these masses are celebrated all around Latin America. These masses end on the midnight of December 24th when the Misa de Gallo is celebrated during midnight.
Dia de Reyes — January 6
Epiphany is in fact the biggest of our holiday celebrations. There are several places around the island where you should go to experience the way we celebrate the Three Wise Men. The most famous celebration in all the island is in the southern town of Juana Díaz that is visited, not only by families from all over the country, but also from other parts of the world. In this town, you can also find a Museum about the Three Wise Men and the celebration in the town.
In other towns, you will find other festivities and all of them will include a typical menu with Lechón Asado.
Octavitas
Back in the days, people in the central towns of the island keep on celebrating the holidays after the Three Wise Men day according to the liturgical calendar. The tradition established that January 7, 8, and 9 are dedicated to each of the Wise Men: Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar, and that after January 9, there will be other eight days of celebration known as the Octavitas, where people gather and sing chants.
Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián
For many, this is the moment where the Puerto Rican Holiday Season really closes. On the third weekend of January during four days, las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián takes place as a way to celebrate this Catholic Church Saint with a street festivity where people gather in the streets to sing different chants, buy from different local artisans and enjoy in the most traditional way. Nowadays, there are several live presentations and a carnivalesque feeling around the Old San Juan.
If you have not spent a Holiday Season in Puerto Rico, we encourage you to visit soon and experience Puerto Rican Christmas in the most authentic way.
