Christmas, Navidad in Puerto Rico, extends well beyond December 25th.
According to the website Discover Puerto Rico, the island proudly proclaims that it has the “longest vacation season in the world.”
On average, holiday celebrations in Puerto Rico last about 45 days, starting right after Thanksgiving and lasting until mid-January, according to the source.
The Christmas season in Puerto Rico typically lasts about 45 days. (iStock)
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The holiday season in Puerto Rico is full of rich traditions that are popular with families.
One tradition that those who visit Puerto Rico will immediately notice during the holiday season is decorations.
In Puerto Rico, decorations are typically put up around Thanksgiving and kept up until the end of the season in mid-January, with appropriate photo opportunities at every corner.
Parrandas, Christmas carols, are a staple of the holidays.
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According to Discover Puerto Rico, carolers select homes of family and friends to visit. They usually start around 10 p.m. and play aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs) not only with their voices, but often with instruments as well.
The group you start singing Christmas carols with is probably not the same group you end up with.
When carolers visit a house in Puerto Rico, they often stop inside to chat, eat and drink before moving on to the next house.
Coquito is a popular drink enjoyed during the holiday season in Puerto Rico. Ingredients include coconut, vanilla and rum. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Typically, residents of the home visited join the group for the next home, according to Discover Puerto Rico.
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A night of serenading your loved ones can last quite a while, according to the source, often stretching into the early hours of the following day.
The biggest day of the holidays in Puerto Rico is actually not Christmas, but the evening before.
In Puerto Rico, December 24th is Nochebuena. On this day, loved ones gather to exchange gifts, sing Christmas carols and have a big celebration.
Many families will also attend a midnight mass on this day, known as Misa de Gallo.
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After Christmas is over, celebrations continue in Puerto Rico.
Another big event on the holiday list is Epiphany on January 6, a holiday that “commemorates the visit the Magi paid to Jesus after his birth,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.
According to PuertoRico.com, on the eve of the day, children fill a shoebox with grass for the camels to eat as the Three Wise Men leave gifts for them.
For a particularly festive Epiphany, Juana Díaz is the place to be, as this holiday is the largest celebration in Puerto Rico. According to Discover Puerto Rico, Juana Díaz has an annual festival and parade in honor of Epiphany that attracts over 25,000 people each year.
On Christmas Eve in Puerto Rico, gifts are primarily exchanged between loved ones. (iStock)
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Eight days later comes Octavitas, a post-holiday celebration where families come together and celebrate one last time of the season.
The end of the holiday season is marked with the San Sebastián Street Festival.
This multi-day festival takes place in Old San Juan and is full of live music, dancing, shopping and parades.