Parranda

A parranda (English: party or spree) is a Puerto Rican music tradition that takes place in Puerto Rico during the Christmas holiday season. Parrandas are social events that feature traditional Puerto Rican music, food, and drinks. The traditional events have been likened to Christmas caroling, but the contents of the songs are secular rather than religious. They are sometimes carried out in the evening, but most traditionally occur in the night, even into the wee hours of the morning. The songs sung are almost exclusively aguinaldos. In this tradition, people go to their friends' or relatives' homes "singing songs, eating pasteles (similar to tamales) and arroz con dulce (rice pudding), sipping coquito and picking up people along the way" who then join in to proceed to the next home.