Christmas traditions in DR

[Xavier_Onassis]

I think La vieja Belen es una costumbre que vino de Italia. There do not seem to be any articles about this in English, but here is one in Spanish:

Si no es por Marci? Veloz Maggiolo hubiera seguido creyendo que la Vieja Bel?n era un producto de la imaginaci?n de los pobres dominicanos, especialmente los residentes en la zona urbana, deseosos recompensar a los ni?os olvidados por los Reyes Magos cada 6 de enero.

Cita el escritor en su obra ?Trujillo, Villa Francisca y otros fantasmas?, que el origen de la Vieja Bel?n es probablemente italiano, a trav?s de La Befana, que desarrollaba actividades para los pobres y no descarta que penetrara al pa?s en las naves de los conquistadores o con los italianos que llegan al pa?s hace varios siglos.

Lo cierto es que la se?ora Bel?n se ha enraizado en la imaginaci?n popular dominicana e incluso ha sido enriquecida con ese toque m?gico y particular que dan los dominicanos a las cosas.

Se le atribuye en los d?as posteriores al 6 de enero rematar los juguetes que quedaron a los comerciantes para luego donarlos a los pobres.

La Vieja Bel?n acostumbra llevar alegr?a a ni?os olvidados por los Reyes Magos el domingo despu?s del 6 de enero. Este a?o hay confusi?n con su salida pues el D?a de Reyes se celebrar? el lunes 10. ? Coincidir?n Los Reyes Mago y do?a Bel?n? Hasta con el cambio de las celebraciones en el calendario las autoridades se empe?an en afectar a los dominicanos.

Esta dama permanece en el ostracismo social tal vez por su defensa a los m?s pobres.

S? que este a?o con los precios exorbitantes de los juguetes que esta se?ora toda bondadosa no podr? rematar gran cosa, por los que menos ni?os recibir?n sus obsequios.

It seems to on or around January 16th.

 

[Mauricio]

Presents are open on January 6th (Dia de Reyes).

Other than expats only gringo butt loving Dominicans would open their presents on 25th of December.

There's another day to open presents called "La vieja Belen'. Can't remember what day is only know is after Dia de Reyes, which was a convenient fix for any parent struggling to come up with presents on January 6th.

Any toy less kid asked "where was his presents" would say; "mom told me I have to wait for la vieja Belen".

I think a more important reason to give presents the 25th of December is while most parents realize it doesn't make sense to give a toy on the 6th of January when school starts the 7th.

 

[Xavier_Onassis]

I am all for the parents deciding when to do anything.
In my family, we opened the out of town pressnts on Christmas Eve and the ones from the immediate family Christmas morning. But we were gringos and I never heard of loe Reyes Magos until I went to college in NM.

 

[dv8]

i think DR is a bit torn by different traditions, namely french, spanish and american. hence different days to give gifts. miesposo's family shares gifts after the dinner on the 24th, just like we do it in poland. not sure where it came from as his ancestors are puertrican, italian, cuban, jewish and whatnot, a huge mix.

but coming back to the OP... i went to two xmas dinners. last week we shared with miesposo's workers. the tables were full: chicken, pork, potato salad, lambi salad, rice with vegetables, moro de guandules, pan de bufet, casabe. and a sea of brugal. i had lots of fun. everyone ate well and took a doggie bag home. so did i, but literally, taking bones for the dogs. there was music and exchange of angelito: a small gift. angelito can be a normal gift like a bottle of wine or a prank of some sort, like a bag of eggs.

on the 24th we went to in laws. the dinner was simple: puerco asado, ensalada de papas, pan de mantequilla, pasteles en hoja. no gifts, really.

 

[AlterEgo]

Article by Aunt Clara for Caribbean Airlines, about Dominican Christmas

The taste of home: Christmas recipes from the Dominican Republic - Caribbean Beat Magazine

 

[bronzeallspice]

Article by Aunt Clara for Caribbean Airlines, about Dominican Christmas

The taste of home: Christmas recipes from the Dominican Republic - Caribbean Beat Magazine

I love pan de batata. Thanks, AE for posting it, I will be giving this recipe a try.

 

[the gorgon]

I love pan de batata. Thanks, AE for posting it, I will be giving this recipe a try.

try this one too, bronzie


Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs tropical Sweet Potato, grated
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal
2 cups Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 Tbsp melted Unsalted Butter
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Rum

Method
Preheat oven to 350F
Grate potatoes and place in large mixing bowl. See photo for the proper grated texture; this is how they should look whether grated by hand or using a food processor.



Put all the ingredients in the bowl in order listed; mix together.




Pour mixture into greased baking tin; I use a 9-inch x 3-inch deep pan, but you can also use a 10-inch pan. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Bake at 350F oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until knife inserted into center comes out “clean”. When it’s baked the top will still be soft, but under the surface it should feel firm when the knife is inserted.
Slice and serve from the baking pan, especially when warm.

 

[bronzeallspice]

try this one too, bronzie


Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs tropical Sweet Potato, grated
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal
2 cups Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 Tbsp melted Unsalted Butter
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Rum

Method
Preheat oven to 350F
Grate potatoes and place in large mixing bowl. See photo for the proper grated texture; this is how they should look whether grated by hand or using a food processor.



Put all the ingredients in the bowl in order listed; mix together.




Pour mixture into greased baking tin; I use a 9-inch x 3-inch deep pan, but you can also use a 10-inch pan. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Bake at 350F oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until knife inserted into center comes out ?clean?. When it?s baked the top will still be soft, but under the surface it should feel firm when the knife is inserted.
Slice and serve from the baking pan, especially when warm.

Thanks, I sure will. This looks real good, especially since it has rum. But will increase the amount.

 

[Wishing you well]

i think DR is a bit torn by different traditions, namely french, spanish and american. hence different days to give gifts. miesposo's family shares gifts after the dinner on the 24th, just like we do it in poland. not sure where it came from as his ancestors are puertrican, italian, cuban, jewish and whatnot, a huge mix. .

Most of gift excahnges happening o/a 24/25th are due to the "secret angel" tradition and not as a form of xmas present as we know it in the USA

 

[Wishing you well]

I think a more important reason to give presents the 25th of December is while most parents realize it doesn't make sense to give a toy on the 6th of January when school starts the 7th.

Tradition is tradition and not common sense, I mean, whom would really believe that Santa would travel from the north Pole to every household and deliver presents exactly on the 25th?

We all did at one time due to what we were told, hence tradition and not logic.