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Christmas in the Dominican Republic
What a most fantastic
gift to give to someone that you love, Christmas in the Dominican Republic.
Enjoy a holiday season in a tropical climate without the cold winter winds
and the snow.On a Dominican Republic vacation at Christmastime, you can
celebrate your
own traditions of the blessed holiday or learn and experience a new one
celebrated by those who are local of the Dominican Republic.
Christmas is a very important event in the Dominican Republic, where the
population is mostly Catholic. Celebrations start early in December when
all the stores stock up with items in every price range. Every public
employee receives a "doble sueldo," a Christmas bonus, amounting to one
month's salary and most businesses follow this tradition.
Christmas dinner is served on Christmas Eve and is comprised of different
plates, which can range from pork on the grill, ham or sancocho. Sancocho
is a popular dish among all income groups; it contains plantains, meat and
vegetables all made into a soup. This delicious dinner is shared with the
family and close friends. While at dinner, you may be
surprised to hear a group playing "aguinaldos". These are the songs
popularly played during the Christmas season. It is customary to tip the
music players, thus encouraging them to play more before they move to the
next house.
Nearing midnight the party starts to break up, for some will go to "La
Misa del Gallo" (Midnight mass) and some will decide to stay talking and
drinking until dawn. Mass on Christmas Day is normally held only at noon
to allow those who didn't go to La Misa del Gallo to still come to church.
On Christmas Day, some people will exchange some gifts, but it has been
the old custom to wait until "El día de Reyes" (The Three Kings' Day) -
January 6th.
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