Noche Buena 2024 in Puerto Rico

You won't find any snow in Puerto Rico in December, but plenty of holiday spirit in anticipation of Noche Buena or Christmas. From early December, the Old San Juan neighborhood's beautiful 16th-century architecture gets lavishly decorated with holiday lights and nativity scenes.

Holiday Season

On the Island, la Navidad spans about 45 days, beginning right after Thanksgiving in November and lasting through mid-January, with the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián—known as la SanSe—marking the grand finale. Each year, Puerto Ricans embrace their Christmas traditions and customs, celebrating with festive food, music, and decorations. Christmas trees and decorations typically go up by Thanksgiving and stay until mid-January, creating an especially magical atmosphere throughout the holiday season.

Noche Buena Highlights

Nochebuena, or "good night" in Spanish, is the traditional Christmas Eve celebration and one of the most cherished cultural festivities of the year. During this time, the sounds of aguinaldos navideños or trullas (Christmas carols) fill the air. On the evening of Noche Buena, families and friends come together for a festive meal and often attend Misa de Gallo, the midnight Mass. Afterward, gifts are exchanged, and everyone enjoys festive food and drinks in a warm, joyful atmosphere.

Traditional Drinks & Food

The signature drink of a Puerto Rican Christmas is Coquito, a coconut-based alcoholic beverage often referred to as Puerto Rican eggnog. Made with rum, coconut milk and cream, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove, it's rich and festive. For those with a sweet tooth, there are plenty of desserts to enjoy, including flan, arroz con dulce (sweet rice pudding), and coconut tembleque. For savory treats, pasteles—filled with meat and green plantains and wrapped in banana leaves—are a holiday favorite.

Parrandas

If you get lucky, you'll be invited to a Puerto Rican Christmas party called Parranda. It includes local Christmas treats and Aguinaldos performed with traditional instruments: guitars, cuatros, palitas, guiros, and maracas. Parrandas start at about 10 pm when a few friends gather on a porch or a patio and can last until morning with lots of people joining in.