Christmas traditions in DR

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
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Can my fellow posters share their knowledge of Christmas in the DR?

For example, how prevalent is Santa claus?

Does he bring toys? socks and underwear? When do the children open their presents?

do the parents go overboard, like in the US?

Do people use a tree? live or artificial?

Is it celebrated Christmas eve or Christmas morning?

is the midnight mass the most popular?

the drink--cocito it think--is that puerto rican or dominicano. Each say the other took it from them.

What are the dishes everyone has? Turkey, roast ham, sancocho, pasteles?

is there a charity like toys-for-tots where I can donate?

I imagine it is a different experience for those who have a visa and go to Miami just to shop. I am referring to families lead by taxi drivers, school teachers, police officers. What would be the Dominican middle class.

Does the government distribute food to the poor for this special holiday?

is their a difference between the way protestants and catholics celebrate it. please don't make comments about religion. just stuff related to this holiday?

is their a special role for the godparent and godchild?

thanks.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
DR is a bit torn by different traditions so xmas customs differ from family to family. for instance gifts can be given on the 24th, 25th or even 6th of january.

the main meal is usually on the 24th, in the evening. the fare depends on the financial situation and can be either chicken, turkey, pierna or a roasted pig. other dishes served include empanadas, pasteles en hoja, ensalada rusa. christmas fruits are grapes and apples. nuts are also eaten. sweets will include traditional dominican bizcocho as well as spanish turron.

the only trees i have ever seen were artificial.

there is lots of drinking over christmas, mainly rum and whiskey but also this nasty vomit inducing ponche. i think it's made using eggs, i never touch that s**t.

the government does give away food and organizes dinners. it was in the news just few days ago.
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
DR is a bit torn by different traditions so xmas customs differ from family to family. for instance gifts can be given on the 24th, 25th or even 6th of january.

the main meal is usually on the 24th, in the evening. the fare depends on the financial situation and can be either chicken, turkey, pierna or a roasted pig. other dishes served include empanadas, pasteles en hoja, ensalada rusa. christmas fruits are grapes and apples. nuts are also eaten. sweets will include traditional dominican bizcocho as well as spanish turron.

the only trees i have ever seen were artificial.

there is lots of drinking over christmas, mainly rum and whiskey but also this nasty vomit inducing ponche. i think it's made using eggs, i never touch that s**t.

the government does give away food and organizes dinners. it was in the news just few days ago.

Thank you.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
to clarify: this ponche thing is like eggnog, i believe.

on bronzie's pictures you see basic version of the christmas dinner. one shows ensalada rusa (potato salad) being kinda pink. that's because some dominicans add beetroot to it as well.

majority of the people eat the meal at home and it is totally home made. no pre-packaged, pre-cooked stuff from cans or boxes. some stuff may be made or bought in advance, such as pasteles because they really take lots of work and time. the rest is prepared fresh.
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
thank you dv8

to clarify: this ponche thing is like eggnog, i believe.

on bronzie's pictures you see basic version of the christmas dinner. one shows ensalada rusa (potato salad) being kinda pink. that's because some dominicans add beetroot to it as well.

majority of the people eat the meal at home and it is totally home made. no pre-packaged, pre-cooked stuff from cans or boxes. some stuff may be made or bought in advance, such as pasteles because they really take lots of work and time. the rest is prepared fresh.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
we have a similar tradition in poland:

[video=youtube;QT-8Quq6deY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-8Quq6deY[/video]

there walk around houses and ask for money. under the pretense of signing carols. i guess it must be the same in DR. navidad is used as an excuse to pry into people's houses and maybe eat and drink free.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Can my fellow posters share their knowledge of Christmas in the DR?

For example, how prevalent is Santa claus?

Very, all over the country, but it has more to do with economic levels than tradition. That's to say that the majority of middle class and up celebrates Santa, but the less fortunate only Los Tres Reyes Magos and La Vieja Belen...

Does he bring toys? socks and underwear? When do the children open their presents?


Yes, yes and yes. The ritual is to wait until the morning of the 25th...

do the parents go overboard, like in the US?

It all depends on family income and how many same economic class uncles and aunts they muster.

Do people use a tree? live or artificial?

Yes! Live trees are a rarity. The types of tree used again depends on economic incomes.

Is it celebrated Christmas eve or Christmas morning?

There's a big family feast on the 24th, which is followed on the 25th (mostly for the left overs and late comers/visiting families/etc...)

is the midnight mass the most popular?

Both the midnight and early morning

the drink--cocito it think--is that puerto rican or dominicano. Each say the other took it from them.

PR coquito and DR ponche (which is erroneously referred to as coquito) are both clearly related. Keep in mind, Ponche de Cremas was made in the DR prior to there being a proper PR state. It's said that early Dominican families that fled the Haitian invasions and later governments, took the colonial time's traditional Ponche de Cremas to PR and that's how Coquito was born in the sister Island. But to this day, both are quite similar but still not perfectly the same!

What are the dishes everyone has? Turkey, roast ham, sancocho, pasteles?


Pan de Telera, Ensalada Rusa, Roasted Pork, Pastelones, Moros, etc... The list goes on and on...

is there a charity like toys-for-tots where I can donate?


Several DR1 members run some instances of toys and food for xmass. You can find them with a quick search here in the forum.



I imagine it is a different experience for those who have a visa and go to Miami just to shop. I am referring to families lead by taxi drivers, school teachers, police officers. What would be the Dominican middle class.


Dominican Middle class can afford much of what has been described above.



Does the government distribute food to the poor for this special holiday?

Yes!

is their a difference between the way protestants and catholics celebrate it. please don't make comments about religion. just stuff related to this holiday?


Pretty much the same depending on economic conditions and their church going activities.

is their a special role for the godparent and godchild?


YES! Godfathers/Godmothers are expected to gift the kids just like their parents would and first thing on the morning after!




De nada!
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
And something I have only just discovered about Dominican Christmas traditions - hot off the press

What about your saucepans?: Dominican Christmas Traditions


Matilda

OMG Matilda, before I got halfway through the story Mr. AE said "Los aguinaldos!!" and laughed. He then started to sing the whole song, laughing as he did it. He said forget the ginger tea, give them Brugal!! I think you made his day. :laugh:
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
Here it is the distribution of Christmas baskets:


Delayed three hours, Leonel Santiago shared baskets
(Dominicans are late as usual):tired::)


SANTIAGO. - With three hours late, the former president of the Republic and President of the Dominican Liberation Party, Leonel Fern?ndez, today began delivery of 150, 000 Christmas boxes nationwide. Fern?ndez began the distribution of food boxes in The Jasmine industry of this city, where a crowd of people were concentrated waiting for the early arrival of the former president. Former President also distributed boxes in the community of Hato del Yaque and Salted neighborhood of this city. Boxes containing punch, wine, rice, and other necessities to prepare a holiday meal as oil, beans, macaroni, tomato sauce, seasoning, sardines, sausage, pigeon peas, corn flour, cocoa powder and oats Besides delivering baskets Fernandez met with the leadership of PLD the Northwest and Northern Region to discuss issues related to the eighth congress Norge Botello.


http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...es-horas-leonel-reparte-canasta-santiago.html
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
Actually for the vast majority of people in this country Christmas is not like expats are used to. Christmas eve is the big family dinner but many will struggle to get the traditional meal of pork, rice, bread, salad and russian salad. On Christmas day there are no presents for most - as Chivirico my part time foster child said to me last year, "I must always have been naughty as Santa does not give presents to naughty children, and he has never visited me". Most will have no presents on Christmas day, but all will have some cheap Chinese made toy on 6th January.
Santa now visits Chivirico and his family thanks to generous people on his Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/269922726452285/

Matilda
 

PaGuyinDr

New member
Sep 2, 2013
386
0
0
DR is a bit torn by different traditions so xmas customs differ from family to family. for instance gifts can be given on the 24th, 25th or even 6th of january.

the main meal is usually on the 24th, in the evening. the fare depends on the financial situation and can be either chicken, turkey, pierna or a roasted pig. other dishes served include empanadas, pasteles en hoja, ensalada rusa. christmas fruits are grapes and apples. nuts are also eaten. sweets will include traditional dominican bizcocho as well as spanish turron.

the only trees i have ever seen were artificial.

there is lots of drinking over christmas, mainly rum and whiskey but also this nasty vomit inducing ponche. i think it's made using eggs, i never touch that s**t.

the government does give away food and organizes dinners. it was in the news just few days ago.

No stockings hung by the fire place at Residencia DV8?
 

PaGuyinDr

New member
Sep 2, 2013
386
0
0
we have a similar tradition in poland:

[video=youtube;QT-8Quq6deY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-8Quq6deY[/video]

there walk around houses and ask for money. under the pretense of signing carols. i guess it must be the same in DR. navidad is used as an excuse to pry into people's houses and maybe eat and drink free.

I get alot of people hitting me up for money in my family this time of year. And they dont even sing for me....