It has been a very interesting year—to say the least. Puerto Rico was hit, by not just one, but two hazardous hurricanes. The most infamous of the two, Hurricane Maria, started out as a Category 5 and hit Puerto Rico as a Category 4. Still, she is considered one of the worst natural disasters in the island’s history. Because of this, the island has yet to be in the clear. Only half of Puerto Rico has unstable electricity versus the other half that has been left in the dark.
Typically, when you think about Christmas or the holidays in general, the notion of a night full of twinkly lights, fake snow machines, light shows, or even inflatables—a minion with a cheesy Santa hat or the Three Kings on their journey in your front yard pops into mind. It’s difficult to have these luxuries when there is no electricity. I’m not trying to be pessimistic, but this is the reality the Puerto Rican people are facing. It’s difficult, and it should not be sugar-coated in any way. However, like true Puerto Ricans do, there is always a way to turn things around.
Even so, in a culture full of colorful and joyful people and vibrant traditions, there is no doubt that the holidays can still be enjoyed!
Here are 6 ways to save your holiday from the post-hurricane blues:
An Alternative Tree
It’s been difficult to find real Christmas trees around the island. It has turned into the Hunger Games just to get a single tree for your home. If you’re out of luck and were unable to find an authentic pine, try an artificial tree or try any one of these options and make your own! Customize it to your taste and make it all the more personal. My usual favorite is the book tree. All you have to do is stack a few books, hang some fairy lights, add a star or angel, and you’ve got yourself a tree full of magic.
Christmas Music
Parrandas are life. Anyone that says otherwise has a right to their opinion, but there has to be acceptance of the fact that Puerto Rican Christmas music is very lively. It gets you into the Holiday spirit in mere seconds. Luckily, Spotify has you covered with playlists for you to listen to. There’s also the usual option of the king of holiday music: Michael Bublé. A couple other options are Ariana Grande’s Christmas & Chill, Justin Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe, All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey on repeat, and more.
Last Minute Presents
Didn’t feel like it was Christmas until literally two days before? I understand you. I’ve never been one to do last minute Christmas shopping, but here we are. Stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Burlington have been the real MVP’s this season. They are packed with people, that should not be a surprise, but versus the bigger shopping malls that have been impossible like Plaza Las Americas, stores like Marshalls, have a wide variety for all the people on your list and the staff has been hands-on and wonderful. You won’t spend more than five minutes in that long line! (They’re also giving treats like cupcakes and sandwiches to some customers!)
Christmas Specials
Nothing says Christmas-time more than Christmas specials and themed movies. Get out your holiday favorites. Get your favorite hot or cold drink, and enjoy the festive mood.
It Smells Like Holiday Spirit
Smells will immediately transport you to different times and force you to feel different ways. My go-to scent for December is cinnamon apple, but there are so many more options. Bath and Body Works has great sales right now for gift shopping, and a huge variety of scents for your preferences.
Bonus: Bath and Body Works has just been declared cruelty-free, so you’re also saving some fur babies.
All the Food
The best for last: comida! There are numerous ways to prepare Puerto Rican food during the season, and you can customize it to fit any diet from vegan to vegetarian—you name it! You just have to mix and match. Food is the most important thing to get you in the spirit. That moment when you sit down as a family or even if you’re alone, and you cherish every bite will be a good enough Christmas after all.
Happy holidays, college go-getters and inspirational people. May your festivities be as wonderful as you are.
Image credit: 1 (image made by Carlos Reyes), 2, 3, 4, and 5.