Wow 2009! and Puerto Rico's Holiday Traditions

Wow...I can just say this year have been really hard for me, but it had bring to me lots of hope, self consciousness, happiness, a better me, a great boyfriend, and lots of more good things.  I hope this year will end great, without bad news. It's not been an easy year for me, and for many of us in Puerto Rico and in the world (bad economy, no jobs, more than 1,000 people fired from their jobs here in PR). But the changes I've made during 2009 are worth it.  I don't regret anything I did this year, all things were for the better. Perhaps of the not so good and bad things that happened, there had happened good ones too.

I am posting this to see what you guys are planning for your holiday...Hanukkah, Christmas or whatever is your holiday.  Tell me what are the holiday traditions in your country and what will you do to celebrate.

This Holiday I am going to be here with my family and my boyfriend, we will exchange presents as we always do and we will have dinner and a small "party" on a familiar atmosphere.  And on January 6th Día de Reyes or "Three Kings Day" in English we will do almost the same.

Here in Puerto Rico, Holidays start on Thanksgiving Day, continues to December 25 and finish on January 6th (Three Kings Day) which used to be the official Holiday here instead of December 25.  Three Kings day is celebrated I think mostly in Latin America and it commemorate the day the three Kings walked following the star to arrive at the place where Maria was given born to baby Jesus on a manger in Belen, Jerusalem.
It used to be our official Holiday instead of the "Santa Claus" story, but since lots of years ago we celebrate both (double the presents-haha) and after January 6th we count eight days [we call it "las octavitas"] and that's when Christmas is done.

The food for the Holidays here is a pig "a la varita" or lechón asao' in spanish, which is broiled on a large stick, it pass through the body of the pig.  I pesonally don't like it (I am veg) and think it's kind of gross/nasty, but not because I'm a veg...Well also  "pasteles" is another important item on the menu of Puertorricans, it is a mass of platain (can be yuca too) filled with meat, chicken, and or vegetables.  "Arroz con gandules" or rice with pigeon peas it is the main plate.  For drinks we use "maví", "ajonjolí" or "coquito".  Coquito is a drink of cocconut, spices, cream, etc...mixed with rum and for the ones who doesn't drink alcohol it can be prepared without it too.  For desserts there is "arroz con dulce" which is a rice in some kind of glaze with cinnamon, cloves, sugar, condensed milk,and few other ingredients.  It is a really sweet dessert, really sweet.  Also is "tembleque" with is made with cocconut, cocconut milk and cinnamon...there are a few more but these are the official ones for our Holidays.

Holidays here in Puerto Rico are really festive, happy with lots of music, dancing, and parties.  I invite you to take some vacations and come with your family for these special season to celebrate and share with us.  You won't want to leave us.  Believe me.

-Thank you 2009 for all the good things you gave me, and thanks God too & for all the things I achieved.-

Happy New Year 2010!