Thanksgiving is over, and we’re gearing up for Christmas!!!  Where is the best place to celebrate Navidades?  Simple…. Puerto Rico!  This little island has the best Christmas celebration in the world!

Parrandas are held all throughout the holiday season.

December 15 – 25 Misas de Aguinaldos are special Catholic masses held at 6 a.m. and the service is sung using traditional Puerto Rican musical instruments.

December 24 Nochebuena is Christmas Eve and families gather on this night and wait until midnight to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Catholic families attend a special mass called the Misa de Gallo (mass of the rooster) and the service is sung in aguinaldos (traditional Puerto Rican Christmas songs).  Gifts are exchanged on this night.

December 28 is Día de los Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocent Days). Although based on Biblical events when King Herod ordered the deaths of infants born in Bethlehem to make sure he killed new-born Jesus; this day has turned into a day similar to April Fools Day when folks play tricks on each other. There’s also a huge festival in Hatillo called El Festival de las Máscaras. However, there are some communities that celebrate this day with a religious solemnity.

December 31 is New Year’s Eve is also a big night where everyone gathers together waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Growing up, I remember listening to El Brindis del Bohemio (A Bohemian Toast) which is played on the radio. Of course, everyone ends up crying because it is a very emotional toast.

January 5 The Epiphany (El Día de Reyes) children get ready for the visit of the Three Kings, and on that day there are festivals across the island. The following days January 6, 7 and 8 people remember the kings.

January 9 After Epiphany the Octavitas begin with more parrandas, and special services honoring Jesus and the Kings. This goes on for eight more days.

So basically we are in the Christmas spirit right after Thanksgiving all the way through January 16!
Ha! Yeah, that’s a long time!

Then come Christmas again, and we’re ready to parrandear all over again.

¡Feliz Navidad!

Christmas in Different Lands 2015 | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to our fifth annual Christmas in Different Lands series! This year each participating blogger will focus on a different country, sharing a traditional dish and more about Christmas in that country. For even more glimpses of global Christmas celebrations, see our series from previous years (2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016) plus follow our Christmas board on Pinterest!

Follow Multicultural Kid Blogs’s board Christmas Around the World on Pinterest.

December 1
Lisa Lewis, MD on Multicultural Kid Blogs: A Lebanese Christmas Celebration

December 6
Let the Journey Begin: Celebrating Nikolaus in Germany

December 7
Lou Messugo: Christmas Traditions in Provence, France

December 8
All Done Monkey: DIY Philippine Christmas Star Ornament

December 11
Crafty Moms Share: Bangladesh

December 12
Raising a Trilingual Child: Italy

December 13
Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes: Puerto Rico

December 15
The Good Long Road on Multicultural Kid Blogs: Israel

December 21
Gianna the Great: Choctaw Nation

December 22
American Mom in Bourdeaux: France

Celebrate Christmas Around the World Printable Pack from Multicultural Kid Blogs

Don’t miss our other posts about Christmas in different lands, plus our printable pack Celebrate Christmas Around the World, on sale now!

Spread the love

5 Comments

  1. Totally in the Christmas spirit after reading this post. So fun!



  2. Hi! Here in America, our Christmas celebration is very shorter than yours. We do not have Christmas masses until Christmas eve, where some go to mass at midnight, and others encourage their children to go to bed early so Santa will come. After that, we also celebrate New Years by staying up until midnight and waiting for the ball to drop. I am very late reading this, but have a happy Easter!

    1. Author

      Hi there Allie! Thanks for stopping by and Happy Easter to you too!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.