Video: A Hispanic Christmas

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COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) -It’s almost Christmas and with the growing number of hispanics in the area we took a look at how they celebrate the holiday season.

It’s lots of music, lots of food, and tons of dancing.

“Christmas over there is a lot longer than what it is here, it last literally from Thanksgiving day until about January 15th of so,” says Jose Cintoron.

Jose and Leesha moved to Mississippi two years ago from Puerto Rico, and they say there’s nothing like an Hispanic Christmas.

“We do something that is called parranada so we basically wait until after midnight and then go to someones house…and then we wake them up with music,” adds Leesha Morales.

The traveling party is a Puerto Rican tradition and though it’s not done on the mainland, it’s a great way to get a family together on Christmas eve.

“Someone could come in front of your house and they use plenedas which is basically like different size pork skin and cow skin instruments that they bang and they did it at different tempos each one so it just makes this melody,” says Jose.

Every culture has its own unique cuisine, but you either go big or you go home.

“We roast the whole pork like the whole thing and it takes hours to make,” says Leesha.

“You have arroz con gandules which is rice and pigeon peas and all types of ensalada conidto, ensalada de papa….you of course have cocito which is kinda like a puertorican egg nog, it does not taste at all like egg nog from here but it’s amazing,” adds Jose.

Traditions vary across hispanic culture, but at the end of the day, we all put up a Christmas tree to enjoy for the holidays.

And in most hispanic cultures the presents are opened on Christmas eve.

Categories: Local News

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