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Here, Christmas spirit starts just after Thanksgiving and the 3rd weekend of January with San Sebastian carnaval. Christmas Dinner usually served on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) before attending Midnight Mass; known as the Misa de Gallo or “Rooster’s Mass.” where you might just catch a live reenactment of the nativity scene. Here, fruitcake, egg nog (as you know it) and ham or turkey take a back seat to island specialties.
![Christmas in Puerto Rico 1](/media/upload/content/xtra_534.jpg)
Pasteles
Typically made from mashed green bananas / plantains (or sometimes yucca), which is spread out a banana leaf and then filled with a meat filing usually made with pork. The plantain leaf is then wrapped for a festive, Christmas-gifty look and then cooked in boiling water
![Christmas in Puerto Rico 2](/media/upload/content/xtra_535.jpg)
Morcilla
Puerto Rico’s version of blood sausage, adopted from the Spanish morcilla. It contains rice, culantro, cilantro, chilies and garlic.
![Christmas in Puerto Rico 3](/media/upload/content/xtra_536.jpg)
Lechon
Popular all year round, Lechon is a sacred food all over the island, a weekend tradition and the perfect thing for group gatherings. But in Christmas it takes on additional importance; for most Puerto Ricans, no holiday is complete without it. Whole roasted pig is cooked slowly for hours on a spit. Families take time to cook their own Lechon at Christmas.
It is usually served with Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas) and plátanos.
![Christmas in Puerto Rico 4](/media/upload/content/xtra_539.jpg)
Tembleque
Delicious, creamy, coconut pudding that will go down smooth and easy after a rich holiday meal. It is the official dessert
![Christmas in Puerto Rico 5](/media/upload/content/xtra_540.jpg)
You may find also:
Arroz con dulce
Rice pudding with coconut milk and spices
Pudin de pan
A bread pudding puertorican style
Oh, and don’t forget the odd glass or two of Coquito, the Puerto Rico’s unofficial Christmas drink made with rum, coconut milk, condensed and evaporated milk.
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