Christmas Traditions in Puerto Rico

Puertoricans celebrate Christmas with great enthusiasm. It begins the day after Thanksgiving Day, when people starts placing Christmas adornments all over their homes, and ends on January 15th with the last day of the "Octavitas". Families and friends reunite, traditional music is heard everywhere you go, decorating lights brighten the island. You can almost smell the Christmas Spirit.

Puerto Rico proudly celebrates each of the traditional feasts that take part during Christmas season. Parrandas, asaltos or trullas navideñas (a more energetic Puertorican version of the Christmas caroling), Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), Día de Navidad (Christmas day), Despedida de Año (New Year's Eve), Día de Año Nuevo (New Year's Day), El Día de los Reyes (Epiphany), and Las Octavitas (no known translation in English) are all traditionally celebrated in the island.

Parrandas, asaltos or trullas navideñas happen all through the Christmas season. It is the most creative Christmas traditions in Puerto Rico. A small group of friends and/or family get together to surprise others at their house while they sleep. They show up with traditional instruments such as maracas, tamboras, güiras and guitars singing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas tunes). The singing doesn't stop until the victim wakes up and lets them in. Once in the house, parranderos invade the kitchen eating and drinking all they want. The parranda continues with the victim coming along to "assault" another house.

On December 24th Nochebuena is celebrated. Families reunite for dinner followed by a big party. During dinner, traditional foods like lechón asado (roasted pork), arróz con gandules (rice with peas), and pasteles are served. Another creative Christmas tradition is to serve Coquito (puertorican coconut eggnog). Not only on Nochebuena, but also all through the whole Christmas season. Rum and beer is usually available in big quantities. After dinner the dancing to salsa and merengue starts and the party goes on until sunrise.