Holidays in Puerto Rico

The Holiday Season in Puerto Rico traditionally starts around Thanksgiving and ends after Three Kings Day in January.

Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) typically is marked by a large dinner with family and friends. Traditional menu items are Pasteles (a type of Puerto Rican tamale), Arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), Lechón (spit roasted pig) and Coquito (a coconut and rum based egg nog). Then it's off to Midnight Mass (Misa de Gallo). Throughout the Christmas season neighbors and friends might make a 'Parranda' going house to house singing Puerto Rican Christmas Carols while playing traditional instruments like the 'Plena' a hand held drum, the crowed gets larger and larger as it moves through the neighborhood.

Puerto Rico celebrates Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes Magos) on January 6. Three Kings Day Eve, January 5 (Vispera de los Tres Reyes Magos) is when children leave a glass of water and a box filled with grass out for the Three Kings to drink and their camels to eat. On Three Kings Day the children awake to find the grass and water gone and presents under the Christmas Tree.

Holidays in Puerto Rico

 ¹Commemorating Jesús T. Piñero, Luis Muñoz Marín, Roberto Sánchez Vilella, and Luis A. Ferré

 ²Holiday begins at 12 Noon