Christmas in DR

karenssp

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Jul 28, 2004
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What is Christmas like in DR? Is it a big build up like NY, Canada, England?
Do they have Xmas Trees in their homes, do they exchange gifts ect?
What type of traditional food would they serve?
 

juanita

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Apr 22, 2004
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More and more Dominicans are getting into the Christmas spirits. You can see decorations going up at the end of October. Most houses have a Christmas tree or at least some lights. The city streets are feeled with colorful lights. Gift exchange is more for kids and celebrated on the 6th of January as Dia de los Reyes. A few Dominicans will celebrate gift exchange on the 25th as we do. You might offer apples or grapes if you?re visiting a Dominican house (sold on the side of the road). On the menu you will mostly find: Roasted pig (Roasted and sold on the side of the road), pastel en hoja (Plantains), pastelitos (pastry filled with meat or chicken and raisins), ensalada russa (potato salad). Mmmm what else.. need help here! I always cook my typical Turkey, mashed potatoes, tourti?res diner so I might have missed something!
 

juancarlos

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Sep 28, 2003
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Do dominicans eat turrones as dessert during Xmas Eve supper? What about home made sweets? Bunuelos? Wine?
 

juanita

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Apr 22, 2004
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juancarlos said:
Do dominicans eat turrones as dessert during Xmas Eve supper? What about home made sweets? Bunuelos? Wine?

No they don't really bake desserts like we do, for example in Canada we always have apple pie or sugar pie..etc... here you might see Dulce de naranja o de coco, fruit cake and fruits. They will drink rhum, beer, Cidra and the Christmas punch. The upper class will drink wine. ;)
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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juancarlos said:
Do dominicans eat turrones as dessert during Xmas Eve supper? What about home made sweets? Bunuelos? Wine?

Turron is quite tipical around Christmas although it's more common with higher class people. In general they don't eat all that much dessert...
 

juancarlos

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Sep 28, 2003
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I remember Xmas in Cuba when everyone ate those Spanish turrones. We still do, every bakery and Cuban market in the USA is full of them at this time of the year. Also Spanish red wine was always there for the supper. Homemade bunuelos as well, and of course, dulce de naranja y de coco too. We also had empanadas and many other things that people have forgotten or no longer prepare. We had plenty of home made desserts which my grandmother used to make, not only for Nochebuena but for Xmas day and the following days too. Besides the sweets, the supper consisted of fresh green salad, white rice, black beans, pork, of course, but we also had lamb or turkey for those who did not eat pork, yuca con mojo, Cuban bread, similar to the French baguettes, wine and so many other dishes you could no longer take it.
It's quite different now and I no longer look forward to Xmas like I used too. Of course, it was also a time for cousins and other relatives you only saw once a year to meet, play, go visit people etc.

Xmas day was for visiting or receiving visits or calling people on the phone to wish them 'Felices Pascuas" like they used to say in Cuba and go to church if you did not go to the Misa de Gallo.

I remember that on Xmas Eve, besides carols, the radio played a lot of danzones and people danced to this rythm after supper.

Oh well, just a little bit of nostalgia and good memories.