Month: December 2016

New Year’s Eve is celebrated throughout the Americas, with parties, fireworks, traditional food and family dinners.  In Spain, Spaniards gather in the central plaza at Puerta del Sol, and eat one grape for each chime of the clock at midnight (this is actually a little more difficult than it sounds, particularly if your grapes are… Continue reading Feliz Año Nuevo / Happy New Year

The Feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated in Mexico each year on December 28 in Mexico. The holiday is based on traditions from the Canary Islands, near the coast of Spain.  The day is devoted to fun — children play at being adults, and pranks (as in April Fool’s Day in North America) are part… Continue reading Feast of the Holy Innocents

After all of the late night celebrations, partying and dancing for Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), Christmas Day in South and Central America is a quieter celebration with family and friends.  In North America, traditions and celebrations intertwine.  In the words of Cuban American author, Gustavo Perez Firmat, “The older Cubans, mostly men like my father and… Continue reading Celebrating Christmas Day with Undocumented Mexicans

Nochebuena, as Christmas Eve is also known in the Americas, is joyously celebrated with family, a religious service, and a traditional dinner menu.  The traditions are varied among cultures and celebrations are often elaborate.  In Puerto Rico, the Nochebuena meal can include roast pork, pigeon peas, sausages, and a variety of side dishes.  Parrandas, essentially… Continue reading Celebrating Nochebuena / Christmas Eve