I just though about it today. We do have the best of both worlds. We have every American tradition like Thanksgiving, Santa Claus, Easter and Mondays off when it’s President’s Day (when in fact we don’t have a president and don’t vote for yours.) plus we have the extension of Christmas that exists in Puerto Rico. Christmas in Puerto Rico is the most amazing holiday ever. Although for many, Christmas should include snow, us Puerto Ricans love being able to leave our American schools full of snow to stay in the warm, sunny climate for a month. It is incredible leaving with a huge jacket and snow boots to taking it all off in the San Juan airport and putting your bathingsuit.
Our Christmas parties begin in November. Every weekend is full of traditional Christmas music, incedible Christmas smells and delicious traditional food that is only prepared during the holidays. Once Christmas day has passed, comes New Year’s, which will be different for me this year because I start my Boston Globe co-op December 28. My parents will come here or I will have to get here the 27th and fly back the 30th. We’ll see. Once the huge family parties on the 31st are over, Los Reyes Magos make their appearance. Throughout the Spanish-speaking world, January 6 is a Christian holiday that celebrates the three wise men who brought gifts to Jesus. Three Kings Day is like another Christmas day, but on a smaller scale. The few things Santa forgot to bring, the Three Kings will.
Once Three Kings has passed, comes 7 days of “the last days of Christmas” where peopleeat and drink all that has been left from every party. Once that is gone, the last weekend of January, our capital San Juan celebrates its traditional festival. It is a three day festival that includes food, music and sell of unique, traditional crafts. Hundreds of people attend, but since I started coming to Northeastern I have missed out on that.
There you have it. After that festival, our Christmas is officially over, but we already start planning our day off during President’s Weekend! 
