New Year in Puerto Rico
Entertainment 29/11/2023
The New Year holiday is celebrated in different ways around the world. Knowing the different traditions of other cultures can enrich our vision and give us ideas to practice their rituals and welcome 2024 freshly.
This time we explore the most common traditions and rituals on the beautiful island, where natural elements play a central role. In addition, you can do them in the facilities of our resort Park Royal Homestay Club Cala Puerto Rico, which is a beautiful complex that will enchant you.
The main tradition is to welcome the New Year with a water battle. The climatic conditions of this beautiful country allow a child's game to become a cleansing ritual to receive the new cycle.
Water, one of the four basic elements in the world, is of central importance to all cultures. It is given a purifying character that becomes ideal for starting cycles. In Puerto Rico, families throw buckets of water out the window to get rid of the problems that occurred in the past year and thus clear the way for what is to come. They gather in the houses to fill buckets and pots with water that they throw at the doors just as the final 12 bells of the year strike.
Aside from cleansing the past, this ritual is associated with attracting good luck and abundance.
Another tradition carried out in Puerto Rico is to hang a red ribbon on the front door of houses as a sign that one seeks to ward off bad luck. In different Latin American countries it is believed that this amulet can prevent the "evil eye", as well as being a victim of envy, jealousy, negativity and similar situations. Along with this practice to avoid “bad spirits” is the tradition of making noise with plates and glasses. According to popular belief, noise drives away bad vibes and helps start the year in a good mood.
As part of the culture of Puerto Rico, the arrival of the New Year is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm with the family. There is dinner and dancing all night and into the early morning.
It is a very abundant and typical dinner with dishes such as rice with gandules, pernil, asopao, salads, cakes, typical sweets and a wide variety of drinks, such as cava, which is a typical sparkling drink of the island.
After dinner the party continues with dances such as salsa, bachata and reggaeton. Some people like to wear costumes and paint their faces or use the Vejigante masks, which correspond to the carnival, but which also come out on these dates.
By midnight the family continues to gather to watch fireworks show and shoot rockets. We hope that these traditions awaken the desire to live them and even let us accompany you during these holidays.
This time we explore the most common traditions and rituals on the beautiful island, where natural elements play a central role. In addition, you can do them in the facilities of our resort Park Royal Homestay Club Cala Puerto Rico, which is a beautiful complex that will enchant you.
Clean the past with water
The main tradition is to welcome the New Year with a water battle. The climatic conditions of this beautiful country allow a child's game to become a cleansing ritual to receive the new cycle.
Water, one of the four basic elements in the world, is of central importance to all cultures. It is given a purifying character that becomes ideal for starting cycles. In Puerto Rico, families throw buckets of water out the window to get rid of the problems that occurred in the past year and thus clear the way for what is to come. They gather in the houses to fill buckets and pots with water that they throw at the doors just as the final 12 bells of the year strike.
Aside from cleansing the past, this ritual is associated with attracting good luck and abundance.
Making noise and put on red ribbons
Another tradition carried out in Puerto Rico is to hang a red ribbon on the front door of houses as a sign that one seeks to ward off bad luck. In different Latin American countries it is believed that this amulet can prevent the "evil eye", as well as being a victim of envy, jealousy, negativity and similar situations. Along with this practice to avoid “bad spirits” is the tradition of making noise with plates and glasses. According to popular belief, noise drives away bad vibes and helps start the year in a good mood.
Party and family meal
As part of the culture of Puerto Rico, the arrival of the New Year is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm with the family. There is dinner and dancing all night and into the early morning.
It is a very abundant and typical dinner with dishes such as rice with gandules, pernil, asopao, salads, cakes, typical sweets and a wide variety of drinks, such as cava, which is a typical sparkling drink of the island.
After dinner the party continues with dances such as salsa, bachata and reggaeton. Some people like to wear costumes and paint their faces or use the Vejigante masks, which correspond to the carnival, but which also come out on these dates.
By midnight the family continues to gather to watch fireworks show and shoot rockets. We hope that these traditions awaken the desire to live them and even let us accompany you during these holidays.
