The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-01-23
HOLIDAY TIME WITH
THE PORTO RICANS
Christmas Offers Pleasures
NelD to- Northerners.


A morning dip in the Caribbean sea,
freshly gathered oranges and grape
fruit for breakfast, eaten in a patio
surrounded by the delicious freshness
of flowers still wet with dew, a glor-
iously blue sky overhead-these were
few of the reasons why we left home
and the frozen North at the holiday
season to seek the land where poinset'
tias grow wild in the dazzling tropical
sunshine. Even though such surround
ings did not seem at all In keeping
with our idea Of the Christmas season,
the experience of merely being there
was delightful and long to be remem-
bered, says contributor in the New
York Herald Tribune.
Christmas In Porto Rico is reli-
gious holiday and not gift day. The
real celebration, such as we know,
comes in January and Is called Three
Kings day. The fifth, sixth and sew
enth days Of the month celebrate the
visit Of the wise men to Christ's birth
place. On the evening Of January 8
the children arrange boxes containing
grass outside the windows Of their
homes for the horses Of the kings. In
side are placed their shoes for the
gifts that the wise men bring them, as
they did the Christ child. Almost two
weeks are given up to merrymaking
among both old and young. There is
little work done, especially among the
country people, who go from house to
house for dancing.
The guitar and many odd instru-
ments, some of which are of Indian
origin, furnish the music. One of the
group often sings. improyising words
to suit the occasion. In the absence
Of music for, dancing, hides are tightly
stretched on sticks and are beaten to
the accompaniment of rasping noise
made by scratching with wire a
gourd cut with grooves before drying
Although there are many days Of
feasting, the greatest preparations are
made for January 6. The plumpest Of
little pink-eyed pigs is persuaded to
leave the company Of his brothers and
sisters. pass through the hands Of the
cook and, when delicately roasted over
bed of charcoal, occupy the place
of honor among the multitude of
Christmas dishes. Mealy sweet pota-
toes such as we do not see incur
northern markets, are sliced raw, fried
and served with 1t. Yautia, starchy
root vegetable, is boiled. Large green
bananas are. roasted, or baked In wine,
brown sugar and spices.
Chicken with rice is a favorite dish,
and gandules, a cousin to the bean, Is
The salad is usually quite simple, a
favorfte one being sprouts of certain
variety of palm, dressed with olive oil
and lime Juice and served on bed of
lettuce. Sweetmeats hold just as
prominent a place on the bill of fare
as they do 10 the North. Many sweets
have fruit foundation in the form of
paste or Of crystallized fruit, the
guava and bitter. orange being favorite
fruits for this preparation. The lech-
OLA Is a melonlike fruit introduced into
SpaiffNby the Moors. and brought by
the Spaniards to America. While still
green the fruit is thinly sliced and
cooked with brown sugar.
Another sweet which Is given freely
to children is made of the sweet po-
tatO. The vegetable is first cooked
and mashed, then cooked again with
sugar and coconut milk. The mixture
is made quite stiff, and when cool it is
cut into squares. Very small portions
of these desserts are served, and they
are usually accompanied with cheese.
Fresh fruits in abundance help to dec
crate the Christmas table. The orange
and grapefruit season is at It's height,
and fresas, kind Of strawberry, may
be gathered the year around.
The very name Caribbean sea spells
romance. Stories of Sir Francis Drake
and the pirates and buccaneers who
met In battle here came to our minds
as we gazed out over the peaceful wa
tiers. Not exactly Christmaslike, but
peaceful, pleasant holiday neyerthe-
less.