PUERTO RICAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS ASÍ ES NUESTRA NAVIDAD PUERTO RICAN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

PARRANDAS ASALTOS/TRULLAS CHRISTMAS CAROLING Right after thanksgiving people start to celebrate Christmas by singing agüinaldos and giving each other parrandas. Parrandas are given by friends and family and usually they get together in the evening and go house to house singing agüinaldos. The parranderos play the cuatro, the güirros and the maracas. Parrandas last till mid-January.

NOCHE BUENA CHRISTMAS EVE On Christmas eve friends and family get together to celebrate with music and the customary food: LECHÓN HASADO ARRÓZ CON GANDULES PASTELES MORCILLAS TEMBLEQÚE ARRÓZ CON DULCE COQUITO

AÑO VIEJO NEW YEARS EVE For Año Viejo family and friends gather to celebrate the new and say goodbye to the old year. Traditionally people do the following: DRESS IN NEW CLOTHES EAT 12 GRAPES AT THE STRIKE OF TWELVE CRY AND CHEER AND GIVE KISSES AND HUGS TO EACH OTHER WISH EACH OTHER PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO

LOS TRES REYES MAGOS THE THREE KINGS The Three Kings Day is gift giving time in Puerto Rico. The Three Kings Day is celebrated by: Children pick grass to put into a shoe box. The shoe box goes under the bed the night before. The kings give the grass to the camels and they leave a gift for the child to discover the next day. Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar are the Three Kings that come barring gifts for the children.

OCTAVAS/OCTAVITAS EIGTH DAY Las Octavitas mark the official end of la Navidad in Puerto Rico. This is a tradition that is slowly not being celebrated. Traditionally if you received a visit from someone on the Three Kings Day you are supposed to return the visit eight days later. This is the last Parranda of nuestra Navidad.

When do the Parrandas start? Who gives the Parrandas? What are the instruments that are used for a Parranda? What is the traditional food that is served on Christmas eve? 5. What are three things people do for New Years? Instead of Santa what do the kids look forward to instead? What do kids do in order to receive their gifts? What are Octavitas?