There are many Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic that show some of the best aspects of the richness that surrounds the Dominican culture. In this article we will tell you how Christmas is celebrated in a dream place like this. Keep reading!
What are the main Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic?
Regarding how Christmas is celebrated in the Dominican Republic; the customs of this Caribbean territory unite typical Catholic traditions with others typical of the region.
If you travel to the Dominican Republic at this time of year, you have an extensive list of things to do and see in Punta Cana at Christmas, which begins with the Christmas dinner filled with exquisite typical dishes from this country, until waiting for the gifts of the Three Kings Day.
Some of the most representative Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic are the following:
1. Misa de Gallo: the most typical Christmas tradition
This celebration is known as Misa de Gallo or de los Pastores. This mass is one of the main Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic. It is done every December 25 at 12 o’clock at night or a little earlier with the purpose of commemorating the birth of the baby Jesus.
2. The Christmas Eve Dinner
This family dinner is one of the Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic that are repeated every December 24th. It is a meeting in which family and friends meet to celebrate Christmas Eve.
For this meeting, they usually eat some traditional dishes such as Telera, which is a large bread; the pork roasted in puya, common in Cibao, in the north of the country; the stuffed turkey, which comes from San Juan de la Maguana and San José de Ocoa.
Other dishes that should not be missed during these Christmas celebrations in the Dominican Republic are sheet cakes, which are typical of the East of the country. Its preparation consists of a kind of dough with bananas, green bananas or vautías stuffed with meats that are wrapped in banana leaves and tied with a thread.
Also, you can eat Russian salad, a dish that includes boiled vegetables, eggs, mayonnaise and fruits, as well as the moro de Guandule (made from moro rice and a type of pea called pigeon pea), the baked leg of pork and chicken. Meanwhile, lovers of sweets can taste some sweets and coquitos (coconut-based) or eat fruits such as pears, apples and grapes.
3. Los Angeles or secret exchanges
It is one of the Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic that is celebrated in institutions, schools, companies or colleges. These are gift exchanges between colleagues known as “Angelito” and they usually start from the first days of December until the last working day of that month.
The custom consists of writing the names of the participants of the exchange on small pieces of paper and drawing them around so that each one of the people who are part of it have someone.
The participants of this Dominican Christmas tradition will have to give a secret gift on an established day to the person they have been assigned. In the meantime, the name of that person must remain secret.
4. Aguinaldos, songs and ginger
This is another of the most popular Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic in which friends gather to sing from house to house, to the rhythm of the güira, the tambora and the accordion, and some Christmas carols.
5. El Perico Ripiao
El Perico Ripiao is typical music from Dominican Republic. It has a leading role at Christmas and their roots are in mountainous areas or the Cibao area.
During the interpretation of this music the singer maintains a powerful tone of voice, standing out above the music with a fast beat.
eas montañosas o la zona del Cibao.
Durante la interpretación de esta música el cantante mantiene un tono de voz potente, que sobresale por encima de la música con un ritmo acelerado.
6. New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is one of the most important traditional Christmas celebrations in the Dominican Republic. It is celebrated on December 31 with the company of family and friends while they wait for the New Year to arrive. It is a meeting in which the wishes for the next year are given, shared and expressed.
When midnight arrives and the cannon is fired to indicate that the new year has arrived. All the gathered people embrace with joy and celebrate the farewell to the “old” year and the arrival of a new one.
7. The arrival of the Three Wise Men
The celebration of the Day of the Three Wise Men is held on January 6 of each year. On this date, the children receive one or more gifts in the morning.
8. Take out the old things and paint the house
This is one of the Christmas traditions in the Dominican Republic in which you should take out the old things and clean the house with dedication. Also, you have to take advantage of cleaning the cabinets and wardrobes to get rid of old clothes and have the possibility of replacing them with new ones.
Another of the Christmas traditions of the Dominican Republic is to paint the house to bring good luck.
Traveling to Punta Cana on these special dates is always a good plan to experience Dominican Christmas traditions and enjoy it at its best.
Where to stay in Punta Cana?
If you want to do tourism in the Dominican Republic and stay in Punta Cana to get to know the best of the Christmas traditions in this place, you can book your stay at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort Spa & Casino. Contact us to learn more about our fabulous hotel.
We want you to feel at home, so get in touch with us to find out more about our services, we will be happy to help you enjoy one of the best places to stay in Punta Cana.
