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Editor's note: Silverio Pérez is a writer, author of the best sellers among which are: "LaVitrina Rota", "A mirror in the jungle" and "I only have the story I tell you." Radio and television program host and documentary producer. He has recorded more than a dozen albums. Co-founder of the Puerto Rican groups: "Knitting in another are" (new trova) and "Los Rayos Gamma" (political satire).
(CNN Spanish) - As a musician and member of the group Making a Point in Another Son, as a writer of the island's daily life, and as a citizen of my Puerto Rican nation, I have been able to live from different perspectives the particularity that the celebration of Christmas in Puerto has Rico that without a doubt is the longest and most special in the Spanish-speaking world.
The celebration really begins on November 19, the day of the Discovery of Puerto Rico, because in all the schools of the territory, public and private, the Puerto Rican Week is commemorated. And how is Puerto Ricans celebrated? With typical meals, with folk music, with clothing that evokes that of our mountain jíbaros, or with the pump and full coastal. So it is on November 19 where our holiday starts.
When the American culture introduced the celebration of Thanksgiving on our island and it began to spread the custom of a dinner where the turkey was the main course, the Puerto Rican, accustomed to spicy Caribbean flavors, found that the unfortunate turkey something was needed that would make it an appetizing delicacy. And suddenly, the turkey was marinated with the same condiments as the roasted pig and from there came the "pavochón", a suckling-flavored turkey. And Thanksgiving dinner became another preamble to Christmas.
But in our island culture, the preambles have their own preambles, so before that Christmas preamble, people start decorating their houses to the sound of Christmas music from the weekend before Thanksgiving. From then on come the Christmas parties of companies, communities and anyone who invents a reason to throw a party. So when American Christmas Eve arrives, which for us is Christmas Eve, the Puerto Rican has been celebrating for 36 days.
In the United States they call "Holydays" to those few days that pass from Christmas to the New Year. We continue long because the most longed for holiday in our fields: January 6, the day of the Three Holy Kings. But, like Christmas, it is the eve of Kings where we celebrate big. That night there are promises of kings, parrandas, dinners and family gatherings to wait at 12 at night when the Magi from the East arrive with their gifts to the children.
As of all that Reyes party there will be a lot of food left over, because in that we are also very exaggerated. We invented another party the weekend following Reyes to consume the leftover. That party was called the Octavitas. There are those who, not satisfied with this, added the Octavonas, which are 16 days after Reyes. But this does not end here, because if next weekend they are the Fiestas de San Sebastián Street, what is the point of stopping? So really our Christmas parties end with the celebration of San Sebastian on January 20, exactly 62 days after we started. Does anyone doubt now that they are the most extensive and varied in the world?
I accompany some tenths, predominantly poetic form in the Puerto Rican tradition, which attest to this tradition.
The turkey was not roasted
because it was missing a little
but already the little tree
He looked enlightened.
In Puerto Rico it has changed
somewhat tradition.
Here almost the sucker
together the turkey is roasted,
and start from house to house
A tremendous hesitation.
Friday morning
after turkey day
we must carry out
An act that sister us.
It is borincana tradition
that day get up early
already about four o'clock
within the nearest mall
and with basket in hand
Buy, buy and buy.
In the urbanizations
they are already organizing
the street are decorating
With creative variations.
Of angels there are legions
and even snow is in the grass.
And from birth the drama
Take a scene in the bateyes.
Santa Claus and the Three Kings
complete the picture
Don't believe it's over
this Christmas deed
because our people insist
In that is an enlarged combo.
From octavitas there are already guidelines
a similar revelry
and then you have to line up
for the San Sebastian.
And leaving San Juan
I went to the field to teal.
And between consumption and barbecue
from December to January
is this partying town
propaganda embobao.
And although clueless walks
Not everything is fatality.
On this holiday
we still feel the fervor
who knows that the Lord
we were born at Christmas
Christmas