ChristmasTraditions is the DR

The "REAL DEAL" is "Noche Buena"!

Since gifts are not given to the children until "Three Kings Day" (6 January) except by "Wanabe Americanos",Christmas Eve is the real celebration.All the "Faithful" (about 2200 at last count) go to Midnight Mass.All the others(about 8,455,000 at last count) get together with family for a HUGE FEAST! Favorites that must be included are roast leg of pork,"Pasteles en ojas" and/or"Pastelon",Ensalada Rusia,"Kipes",ensalada mixtos,loaves of bread,rice,tostones,Roast chicken,etc!After the food settles,the music is turned up full blast,the beer and wiskey start to flow like water,and everyone dances and gets drunk! When everyone is really drunk,they start to light fireworks.What a great combination,Dominicans,alcohol,and gunpowder! Merry Christmas!!!The whole process is repeated on New Years Eve,except the 2200 "Faithful" stay home!Happy New Year!Cris

Glad to see you have come out of hibernation, NoMoreSnow.

See also this thread http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8647&highlight=Christmas+traditions

Especially the post by Natasha

X-mas eve is dead in the sense that all shops, malls, bars are closed..at least in Santiago.

On New Years eve all those who have dis-owned their families or been removed get a chance to re-unite. Then they eat, start drinking and at 12:00AM if differences are sorted out they go to a bar or a disco and if differences remail they still go to bars and discos to try and sort it out there.

The bars and discos open only after 12:00AM and go thru the night.

Anyway to cut the story short, they stay there untill the sun comes up and - easier to drive with the sun up.