Hispanic traditions
Piñata: A decorated container filled with candy and toys is suspended in the air to be broken by blindfolded kids with sticks. Piñata’s are used as part of Christmas and birthday celebrations in certain Latin-American countries. Find out how you can make your own piñata right here! Quinceañera: The Quinceañera is the Latina coming-of- age celebration on a girl’s 15th birthday. The word “quinceañera” comes from the Spanish words “quince” for 15 and “años” for years. El Chupacabra: El Chupacabra is a mythological creature whose name translated into English means “the goat-sucker,” because that’s exactly what it does. El Chupacabra made its first appearance in the farmlands of Puerto Rico where it left tons of goats dead. All of the goats had been left fully intact, but were drained of all their blood. Scary. Semana Santa: Holy Week is the Hispanics’ most important religious celebration. It is the yearly commemoration in the Christian calendar of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Semana Santa starts with Palm Sunday or Domingo de Ramos, and ends with Easter Sunday or Domingo de Resurrección. Most Semana Santa traditions are hundreds of years old and originated in Spain, but many now have a unique twist due to the mix of cultures in each country.
Sources: Kidzworld, 2016. Cultura Interactiva, 2016. Hispanic culture online, 2016.
