Dominican Christmas Traditions

May 12, 2005
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Just out of curiosity, what are the customs and traditions in the Dominican Republic for Christmas? Other than Three Kings Day being the bigger of the two days. Is there a Dominican equivalent to Santa Claus like La Befana the Christmas witch in Italy??
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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I would not say that 3 kings day is the bigger of the two even though I've had a few Dominicans state that it is. 3 KD is for the children and the majority of the Dominicans do not put much emphasis in anything that relates to the well being, desires and needs of their children.

Cena de Navidad on the other hand seems to be a very big ingrained custom in this country. The afternoon/evening of the 24th of Dec is when all stops seem to be pulled in the preparation of a fabulous dinner for the whole family. Portions are served up and hand delivered to friends and neighbors. This is true of all classes of the people to include the very poor. Some of these families are so poor due to such circumstances as none of the males in said family wanting to work but the woman of the house will end up preparing a truly fabulous meal and distributing food to the community as well as her family. This is also the day for social gatherings, going to church as a family, drinking, and general merriment. A lot of these things are then carried over to or repeated on Christmas the 25th.

There is no equivalent to Santa Claus in this country and the vast majority do not indulge in the custom of having a Christmas tree and or lights even though these are sold in all the department stores here. The prices for colored lights is cheap but the prices of plastic trees are pretty steep for the average Dominican. Taking into account the price of electricity and its unreliability I would think might have something to do with the reason for colored lights not being a big hit here.

Rick
PS Merry Cristmas to all and may all have wonderful holidays and a prosperous new year.
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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For the holidays my cousin Genoveva sets up a nativity scene in her living room. She uses crumpled sheets of painted brown paper covering an entire wall that simulate a receding mountain range. The effect is astounding. In her home, children receive presents on January 6th, from "The Three Wise Men" (Los Tres Reyes Magos), for which they leave their shoes filled with grass outside their bedroom door. The reason being that without the grass, the Three Wise Men's camels will not stop to leave the presents.
 

Snuffy

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May 3, 2002
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Is there traditionally an exchange of gifts among friends? How about among extended family?
 

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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There seems to be 2 different levels of Christmas...... For the general population which tend to be very poor - few decorations but at least some attempt... few gifts but usually something for any children. This is given on 3 kings day. For the middle and upper class they seem to be more consumerised if that is even a word. My experience is they do more gift exchanging adn a lot more decorating......

For everyone the focus is definately on family and friend get togethers, lots of food, drink and fun!
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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planner said:
There seems to be 2 different levels of Christmas...... For the general population which tend to be very poor - few decorations but at least some attempt... few gifts but usually something for any children. This is given on 3 kings day. For the middle and upper class they seem to be more consumerised if that is even a word. My experience is they do more gift exchanging adn a lot more decorating......

For everyone the focus is definately on family and friend get togethers, lots of food, drink and fun!


Well, there is also the phenomemum of "Un Angelito" which it is practiced by all the social classes. Basically, names are dropped in a sack and then picked at random, the person you get is your Angelito. On a weekly basic up to few days before Christmas you are to gift them something. Could be a gag for laughs, but the last gift most me special and be in range of the monetary limit that was set as a rule. Angelitos are big in DR.
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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As Stogdord said the "Angelito" is in fact one of those wonderful customs carried out here. If you are the organizer of the Angelito then usually the final gift giving party is held at your house and you supply the items needed to set up the get together.

In my area the Angelito begins around the first week in December and the names are mixed and drawn. It is set up so a man draws a womans name and the women draw from a group of mens names. A small gift is given here each Saturday till the big party, which is usually on or about the 20th of Dec, when the better and final gift is given to your Angelito.

A very nice custom.

Rick
 

carina

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Mar 13, 2005
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Me gusta tambien.
On my street the "Angelito" is among the kids.
The first Sunday of December and until the 24th.
Small gifts every Sunday, and a little bigger one on the afternoon of the 24th before dinners stars around.
No big money involved at all, just a very nice custom, every one gets a little something and the kids love it.
Boys pick a girl name and girls pick a boy name.
We draw the age at 18, but one guy was just demanding to be in it, even though he had turned 18 earlier this year..and who can say no? Of course not.
 

Stodgord

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Nov 19, 2004
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Rick Snyder said:
As Stogdord said the "Angelito" is in fact one of those wonderful customs carried out here. If you are the organizer of the Angelito then usually the final gift giving party is held at your house and you supply the items needed to set up the get together.

In my area the Angelito begins around the first week in December and the names are mixed and drawn. It is set up so a man draws a womans name and the women draw from a group of mens names. A small gift is given here each Saturday till the big party, which is usually on or about the 20th of Dec, when the better and final gift is given to your Angelito.

A very nice custom.

Rick


Remember, your Angelito is not supposed to know who is gifting him/her until during the final exchange. Other may know but not your Angelito. Dominicans are very good at keeping secrets when it comes to Angelito. This is what makes it more interesting, everyone but you knew who is giving you the gift.
 

MeDominican

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Nov 9, 2005
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Dominicans and 3 KD / Christmas

Rick Snyder said:
3 KD is for the children and the majority of the Dominicans do not put much emphasis in anything that relates to the well being, desires and needs of their children.

This is a very strong statement. Would you care to expand? I am confused.

While living in D.R., the Three Kings Day was a very special occasion in our family and among our acquaintances. My brother and I always got nice presents from our parents, and some small toys from a few of our relatives. our family was not dirt poor, but we were not rich either. I don't know if my father used his Christmas bonus (regalia), saved $ through the year for the occasion, or borrowed the $, but he made sure my brother and I had a nice 3 KD. Ironically, it was during our first Christmas in the U.S.A., that my brother and I did not get any presents, because our parents were not able to afford it.... It was then we found out who Santa Claus (3 KD) really was.

I would not doubt that there are many children in D.R., that do not get any gifts for 3 KD, not because the family do not care about them, but rather because the parents cannot afford to buy them.

Anyhow, during the 3 KD in DR, my brother and I and most of the children we knew, actually believed that the three kings existed... The parents hid the gifts (toys) throughout the home, and the night before, children were asked to leave grass (for the camels), and glasses of rum and water for the kings, and the children went to bed early... the next day, the children would go searching for the toys through out the home, and the parents enjoyed this, just as much as the children... I know mines did.


Rick Snyder's quote:

There is no equivalent to Santa Claus in this country and the vast majority do not indulge in the custom of having a Christmas tree and or lights even though these are sold in all the department stores here. The prices for colored lights is cheap but the prices of plastic trees are pretty steep for the average Dominican. Taking into account the price of electricity and its unreliability I would think might have something to do with the reason for colored lights not being a big hit here. QUOTE]


In our family, we always had a Christmas tree.... but my parents never bought it from a store.... My father, and his friends, went out and cut real trees, with branches, that they then painted, and the women decorated with Christmas ornaments, and the Christmas Lights, and this was a common practice among people we knew.

The exchange of gifts was not a common practice among adults then, at least not in our family's circle... However, in recent years, I have noticed that this is being practiced among some there....



MeDominican
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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During the month of December throughout the areas I frequent I fail to see much of Christmas decorations including trees or the Christmas spirit as we have in the USA. I am not saying it doesn't exist I'm just saying it isn't the custom here as it is in the USA.

I think we will both agree that presents and things for the children are cheap here unless you are the type of person that wishes such things as video games for your children. A basketball costs about RD$150.00 and makes a wonderful gift for a boy as an example. There are many, repeat many, Dominicans that will not give up that 3 presidentes, or more, so that they could give something that will last a month or two or more to their child. They will whine poor me will they are sipping on their bottle of beer. It seems to be the classic case of sorting your priorities.

If the desire to indulge in beer, rum and or cigarettes and other women detracts from the unlearned responsibility that you owe to your wife and children for the substantiality of a better life then I would call that a criminal act of the highest order. This does not relate to all Dominicans but it does in fact relate to too many. This is the way things are as I see them. The simple act of matrimony, which gives substance to legitimacy in the eyes of the state and church and your children, is an example of one of those customs that is not practiced here.

Rick
 

MeDominican

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Nov 9, 2005
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Agree and disagree

Rick Snyder said:
If the desire to indulge in beer, rum and or cigarettes and other women detracts from the unlearned responsibility that you owe to your wife and children for the substantiality of a better life then I would call that a criminal act of the highest order.

I would also agree that such an act would be very wrong....and I have no doubt that there are some Dominican men that behave in this manner, and I feel for their partners and children. However, I also know that there are some Dominican men that indulge in all of the above, and still provide financial support to their families....(and it is the reason many of the women stay in the relationship).... There are also men in DR that might indulge in some of the above, but not to the extend to neglect their families.

"... The simple act of matrimony, which gives substance to legitimacy in the eyes of the state and church and your children, is an example of one of those customs that is not practiced here." Rick's QUOTE.

Rick, I believe the above is too broad of a generalization. Yes, I am fully aware, that there are many Dominicans (and many other people from other Latin Amer. countries) that live together for an eternity, and have children, and never marry. The same can be said of many Americans (non-Hispanic) of certain ethnic background in the U.S., and it is not my intention to start a controversy here in this regard, it is just a fact.

I do not agree with your statement, that marriage is "...one of those customs that is not practiced here." There are tons of Dominicans that believe in marriage, and are legally married, and I am not just referring to the middle / upper class. Marriage may not be practiced in DR by ALL, by it is practiced by many.

Peace & Happy New Year!

MeDominican
 

drbill

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Dec 3, 2005
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Howdy, Rick-
Agreed there's not much $ for non-essentials, but I've found that many Dominicans really like their wives and kids, enjoy decorating the house and exchanging presents for Christmas. Not so different from us, maybe on a smaller scale.
 

Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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As we seem to differ on our beliefs and observations I will leave it at that as I have no desire to get in a pixxing contest with anyone. The OP had asked a couple questions and I tried to answer as I saw it. As Christmas is over then this thread has no more interest to me and I'll unsubscribe to it.

I will end by saying my son thoroughly enjoyed Santa visiting him on the 25th and he left Santa some cookies and milk under the lighted tree. He is also preparing the grass for when the 3 Kings come to visit him on the 6th to give him more gifts. All this to be ended on the 8th for his birthday when he will receive more gifts from his parents.

Rick