Dominican Republic Christmas Traditions

Traditions

Fuegos artificiales/ Fireworks are a momentous tradition here in Dominican Republic. Children and adults love shooting off cohetes y petardos/ rockets and firecrackers of all types. Hospitals are especially busy mending burnt and mangled fingers of people that get a bit carried away with the fireworks. There are stands all over the country selling these festive and dangerous toys to light the sky or to make a big bang . In this way the season is celebrated with a bang!

Most businesses come to a close around 6 PM on Christmas Eve, some not opening at all on this day. This gives families time to get together for the big celebration of food and drink. In most tourist areas businesses are open, but I wouldn't count on it. It's best to have what you need before this day just to be on the safe side.

The main celebration happens on Noche Buena/ Christmas Eve (December 24th) This is when the big family dinners are held and people really get some substantial celebrating. Most people return to their home towns in order to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. Not to mention, most Dominicans love their mothers or aunts cooking so the must return home to enjoy the feast that is prepared. This family gathering is the center of the holiday festivity. December 25th is just a day to recuperate

As a traditional token of Christmas cheer, most employees receive an extra months pay in December, and so have a little extra cash on hand. This is called Double Sueldo, a Christmas bonus Dominican style. It is about the same as a months pay and helps to make Christmas holidays a more lighthearted time

The more religious people usually go to church for the Christmas Eve service. This service called La Misa del Gallo. It is a Midnight Mass traditional type service. There is also a mass on Christmas Day usually held at 12 noon for those who didn't make it to the Midnight mass or for those that like to go to both. This way one can get a little rest in between.

If you are in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic during the holidays try and make it to the service in the Cathedral Primada de America in Colonial Zone. This is service is one of the largest and most elaborate in the whole country. Make sure to get there very early or you will be observing from the outside, which is fine also.

A tradition for gift exchange is called Un Angelito/ A Little Angel. This is practiced by all the social classes. All the names of the participants are placed in a sack. Then a name is selected from the bunch. The person whose name you chose is your Angelito. Every week during the Christmas holiday you are to give that person, whose name you chose, a gift. The identity of your Angelito is to be kept secret until the last day of the gift exchange where you must divulge yourself.

Christmas in Dominican Republic / Navidad en República Dominicana

Since Christmas is such a grand and important holiday here in Dominican Republic it deserves a page all its own.It is such a large celebration that it starts in October and ends in January. With its exhilarating parties, spectacular fireworks, relaxing family time and fantastic food, there is just too much good information for a small section.

Christmas here lasts for about 3 months, more or less. It is a time to get together with friends and family and enjoy. Although here everyone seems to have a great time always, Christmas is even more of an delight. The airlines are booked solid with people returning to their roots to celebrate in the place they call home. There is such an excitement felt in the streets throughout the country. The passion culminates with the fireworks that seem to happen more often the closer the holiday gets.

Trying to do business during this time is not easy, peoples minds are not on accomplishing anything. All that seems to be on the mind is having fun and relishing the company of others.

Indulging ones self with all the traditional foods that one does not get throughout the year is much anticipated. The aromas of food whiffs out into the streets from kitchens where people are preparing their specialties. There are parties, both private and community gatherings everywhere. The festive spirit is in abundance. On the faces of people, the lights and decorations, the festive feelings, the fireworks and the food.

Decorations used for Christmas

The Christmas tree in Dominican Republic, in general, is white. I presume the people want to give the illusion of snow. Since they see green year round, what would be so festive about having a tree this color. So, since there is no snow, it is a nice alternative for those looking for a white Christmas.

Another adornment is the Flor de Pascua or Poinsettia. This traditional flower is also known as its Christmas name Estrella de Navidad translated the Star of the Birth of Christ. This flower is known and loved the world over. The difference in Dominican Republic is that it grows outside and the flower can get quite large as opposed to the tiny ones most Northerners are customary see.

A Dominican tradition is the lightning and decorating of the Charamicos (which in Dominican slang is a dry tree branch). These items are Dominican folk art and can be found in abundance around the country during the Christmas season. One can see them being made and sold in the streets. These decorations are fashioned from straw, tree branches and pliable wood. They are made in the form of angels, cows, deer, some giraffe looking animals, pots, and wreaths. The nicer ones are painted in white and adorned with balls, ribbons and lights. In Santo Domingo a good place to see and purchase these decorations is along Churchill Avenue between Ave. 27 de Febrero and Kennedy Ave. They have every variety and type one might fancy. If you want something special tell the men and maybe they can whip you up what is your hearts desire.

Another decoration is the traditional Nacimiento/ Nativity Scene. It is refreshing to see around the country, in front of stores and Government buildings, Nativity scenes. They are not outlawed here as in USA.

A great souvenir to take home at Christmas time would be a Muñecas Limé white ceramic crèche For more information on what is a Muñeca Limé go to our souvenirs page here

Canciones de Navidad/Songs of Christmas

Christmas carols in Spanish are known as villancicos.

Singing Christmas carols for the neighbors and inviting the singers in for a treat or a nice drink is a fun tradition here on the island. The drink is usually Jengibre, coffee, and for imbibers rum. The caroling venture usually wrap-ups with a good party that includes drinking, dancing and in general a good time for all

There are many Holiday songs here that are unique to Dominican Republic and the other Latin American countries.. Here, as in most of the Latin countries, many of the Christmas songs are accompanied by a merengue rhythm. This results in the Christmas carols being quite danceable, which all Dominicans delight in.

The traditional Christmas songs in English cannot be translated word for word to make any sense in Spanish. Because of this many of the songs in Spanish can be totally dissimilar.

One of my favorite, simple Spanish carols is Cascabel. There are many different versions but my favorite one I have here. I can almost sing along with this one since it has the traditional Jingle Bells tune.

CASCABEL

Es Noel, es Noel Suena el cascabel De un venado muy veloz Que tiene Santa Claus Corre ya, juega ya

Hoy es Navidad Los juguetes hay Que dar por Toda la ciudad Qué bonito es, Es correr con rapidez

Ir con Santa Claus y escuchar su voz Suena el cascabel Quiero ir con él Con mis amiguito

Y cantar feliz noel!!!!

Some other notable songs are Volvió Juanita by Milly Quezada, Salsa pa tu lechón by Johnny Ventura, La trulla navideña by del Conjunto Quisquella. There are many more which I will list as I find them and also will have some of these in the Christmas music section.

Los peces en el río/ The Fishes in the River is a traditional Spanish Christmas Carol it is popular in Spain and Latin America alike. This is the songs estribillo/ chorus in Spanish and English

Pero mira cómo beben, los peces en el río. Pero mira cómo beben, por ver a Dios nacido.

Beben y beben, y vuelven a beber. Los peces en el río, por ver a Dios nacer.

For the complete lyrics and more Christmas songs along with their translations go to Spanish About.com

Some traditional songs titles in Spanish and English:

O Little Town of Bethlehem/ Oh pueblecito de Belén O Come All Ye Faithful/ Venid, adoremos

O Holy Night/ Noche sagrada Hark, The Herald Angels Sing/ Escuchad el son trinfal

The First Noël/ La primera navidad

The Children

Gifts are not presented until el Dia de los Reyes / 3 Kings' Day also known as Epiphany. This is held on the 6th of January. This is the day when the Wise Men's arrived at the birth place of Jesus. The Kings are the gift givers here in Dominican Republic, not Santa Claus, although some people choose to give gifts on both days. December 25 in accordance with US custom and January 6th according to Dominican practice. This is because of the strong influence and acceptance of United States customs.

Dominican children wait for the arrival of the Three Kings. They do not leave cookies and milk. Instead they leave grass for the camels and mints or candies for the Kings. They place their offerings either under their beds, outside the bedroom door or out on the outside steps of the home. These offerings are exchanged by the Kings (a.k.a. parents) for gifts for the little ones. Children find it hard to go to sleep and try to stay awake to see the Kings.

In the rural areas and more impoverished neighborhoods, besides the Three Kings and Santa, there is an old tradition of La Vieja Belen. She leaves gifts for the children also.

Many of the businesses will purchase gifts to distribute to the poorer children. It is an all afternoon afair with gifts distributed drawing style. It is fun to watch these children recieve these presents. Some are really good gifts including bicycles, doll houses and much more!

Some of the traditional foods prepared painstakingly by the ladies, sometimes men help a little, are so incredible. The aromas, along with the ambiance, throughout the house are wondrous.

*The Roast Pork/ Puerco asado and Roast Chicken/ Pollo asado are very important. The Pork is my favorite. I love the skin.

*Potato Salad or Russian Salad/ Ensalada Rusa is splendid. It has cooked potatoes, peas, carrots, egg and a little mayonnaise. This recipe is usually a family secret.

*Green salad/ Ensalada verde which always seemed more of a red to me because of all the tomatoes in this salad.

*Pasteles en hojas are one of my all-time favorites. Not easy to make but worth the time and effort (My Dominican family cheats and buys them pre made). Closely resembling a tamalli they are wrapped in a banana leaf and tied with string to make a nice little torpedo shaped package. Inside this green wrapping is a yellow roll filled with res/beef, cerdo/pork, pollo/chciken, pescado/fish, bacalao/cod fish, queso/cheeze, vegetales/vegatables or a mixture of a few of these. Served steaming hot one could add a little kechu/ketchup, salsa picante/hot sause or eaten plain. Any filling or any condiment topping them for me they are wonderful. They originated in San Cristóbal when doña Isabel Coiscou created the recipe and started distributing the tasty food throughout the island.

*A Long, Crusty bread called Pan Telera. This bread is what we wait for. It has such a great flavor we always buy more than we need. It also makes a great crust for pizza toppings

*Sweets, Cookies and Cake/ Dulces, Galletitas y Biscochos. These are a given. There are so many varieties to chose from, including the Christmas Pudding/ Pudim Navideno.

*Fruits and nuts are abundant before and after dinner for munching. Apples/ Manzanas, Grapes/ uvas, Pears/ peras in the past these were considered very special as they were not readily available. My friend told me that when she was young and received an apple it was a very special treat. One usually reserved for the Christmas season. (With importation they are here in more abundance year round.) Some of the nuts that are Christmas traditions are Hazelnuts/ Coquitos, Almonds/ almendras and Walnuts/ nueces, which were always brought from USA as a present/ regala for us. We told family and friends coming for holiday to make sure they brought us nuts.

*Some of the traditional drinks, of course, include red wine with dinner and rum. There is also Eggnog/ Ponche de huevo, sometimes with some rum added for good measure. The after dinner drink, Anis del Mono (Monkey Anise), is one of my most favorite. It is an anise drink that is made in the home for the best flavor. A friends Aunts/ Tias made the best I ever tasted

*There is a drink made with ginger root called jengibre. It is non alcoholic and ordinarily only drunk during the colder months in Dominican Republic. This because it is very warming. It is made by boiling ginger root and cinnamon. To this is added heaps of sugar to make a tea. It is quite delicious.(recipe for té de jengibre)

After dinner when everyone has stuffed themselves to the brim it is time to relax. We pull up the chairs and sit on the porch. Talking to the people in the street passing by. Everyone is so festive. The ladies go to the neighbors that can't get out or cook for themselves and take plates of food. We drink some rum or some beer and enjoy. It's fun to make the rounds and stop and visit some close friends. But always end up back home to hang out with the family. Even for me, who has no family in the Dominican Republic, my adopted Dominican family has made me feel like one of them. I am right at home and they accept me during all holidays and special occasions.