2 minute read
Celebrating Christ and Family
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS WITH WORLD LANGUAGE
Christmas in Puerto Rico is the happiest and longest season celebrated by all in my homeland! The Christmas spirit starts in November and lasts through January. It is lived in different settings by both the Christian and secular communities. Churches, shopping centers, public squares, neighborhoods, schools, and many other businesses like to decorate and make it all look beautiful. The festivities can quickly fill anyone’s calendar. There are Christmas concerts, plays, musicals, gatherings, and lots of opportunities to enjoy it all. For over 40 years, my family has kept the tradition of getting together on the closest day possible to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day so that we can enjoy a wonderful time of laughter, teasing each other, sharing jokes and stories, singing, and making great music together. We listen as several of my talented uncles and cousins play some of our typical instruments (cuatro puertorriqueño, güiro, guitarra, maracas, etc.) with elegance, while others join with their melodious voices. We also enjoy our traditional Puerto Rican Christmas meal (arroz con gandules, pernil, tembleque, and more) prepared to perfection by my aunts and helpers in the family. Making time to have a gift exchange can never fail among us. In short, this is a fun family time with no worries about the clock. We just want to honor Christ and celebrate his birth and life as a Christian family that has its own Puerto Rican style!
