New Year's Eve

Jbjbisme · 2015-11-12T22:08:30+01:00

What can I expect for my first New Year's Eve in PR? What family events can you recommend?

Jbjbisme New member

5POSTS

10 years ago

What can I expect for my first New Year's Eve in PR?聽 What family events can you recommend?

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ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

If you have kids Stay home, or at least off major highways, lots of people drunk. Think of the kids.
Make a Pernil with baked Batatas, and some Coquito and Tembleque for desert. invite friends and family over that live close to you and have them bring a sleeping bag so they can sleep over.
San Juan has some nice activities and some other towns but parking is a pain, looting of vehicles likely, and not the best set of experience for kids.
Some restaurants will be open but not everywhere, if you have a large group that may be a better way to go, but expect someone drunk to try to spoil the fun.
A lot of people also go to church at night.
If you are Puerto Rican and no kids and not afraid of a nasty accident do a Parranda and visit family and friends for free boose and food, then get them to join you and visit the next place, repeat again untill too wasted. For a Parranda, 2 sticks, empty metal cans or pot, Guerro if you have one and a guitar or similar instrument. It does not matters how badly you sing, the best ones sound the same after a few drinks and singing badly and making a lot of noise is half the fun of a Parranda.

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adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

10 years ago

Rum and more rum!! With a little dominos game.聽

1 member reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

adlin20 wrote:
Rum and more rum!! With a little dominos game.聽

As long as you are not going anywhere, yes lots of rum, domino game, card games, lots of food and maybe a movie or two for the kids which will serve as background noice if the domino game is good and the rum is flowing.

1 member reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

Dont expect to be able to go to work the next day or two. The hangover and sour stomach will likely keep you down. Only the strongest ones go to work but likely will not get much done anyway.

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

10 years ago

ReyP is correct - stay off the roads. Also, stay under a nice concrete ceiling so bullets from celebratory gunfire don't rain down on your head (although I hear this isn't as big of a problem now as it was when I lived there).

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

Some things to do:

Also a little here about what to do:

Hotels have festivities, there are beach parties, and all sorts of stuff to do. Keep an eye for the activities in the newspapers and check if you need reservations.

I am not in the island at the moment and prefer to stay home and invite friends instead.
Good luck
Rey

PS. If you can use a taxi or drive a bike if close to your house, parking can be a real pain.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

The online papers (Spanish) have a entertainment section with what is upcoming for the week. Just keep checking as New Years approach. Mean time it will let you know about events that may interest you.
See:

frogrock Serial expat

509POSTS

10 years ago

In my old neighborhood in Arroyo, some stayed up most of the night, playing music and singing.聽 Even those who ended up sleeping (like me) would wake up to gather on the beach before dawn for the first sunrise of the new year, share a bottle of champagne and/or聽 take a dip in the water, and wish each other a Happy New Year.

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adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

10 years ago

#10

We are planing to have a big family celebration in our new house. Since it will be our first Christmas in PR in over 20years we are inviting all our brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. So we are expecting to have over 50 people in our house that evening and well into the next day.

As Rey said, lots of rum and dominos games. Not to mention food, lechon azado, arroz con gandulez and the traditional midnight asopao! (Pig in the sticks, rice with pigeon beans)

2 members reacted to this post

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#11

adlin20 wrote:
We are planing to have a big family celebration in our new house. Since it will be our first Christmas in PR in over 20years we are inviting all our brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. So we are expecting to have over 50 people in our house that evening and well into the next day.

As Rey said, lots of rum and dominos games. Not to mention food, lechon azado, arroz con gandulez and the traditional midnight asopao! (Pig in the sticks, rice with pigeon beans)

That must be a big house to accomodate 50, LOL.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#12

frogrock wrote:
In my old neighborhood in Arroyo, some stayed up most of the night, playing music and singing.聽 Even those who ended up sleeping (like me) would wake up to gather on the beach before dawn for the first sunrise of the new year, share a bottle of champagne and/or聽 take a dip in the water, and wish each other a Happy New Year.

New years eve head to Rincon for the last sunset of the year, then later head to Fajardo for the first sunrise of the year.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

10 years ago

#13

I can tell...bet you must have had a misspent youth.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#14

I had a great time growing up in PR, we found any excuse to trow a party, go to the beach, river, pool, lake, fishing, etc. I was either in some body of water, dancing or chasing women.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

10 years ago

#15

ReyP wrote:
I had a great time growing up in PR, we found any excuse to trow a party, go to the beach, river, pool, lake, fishing, etc. I was either in some body of water, dancing or chasing women.

I will agree! No internet or video games, spend most of the day outside playing with friends, going to the river and fishing at the beach.

Rey, not a big house, just big backyard!

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#16

Well, to be fair ...... Internet and video games were not invented back then

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

10 years ago

#17

ReyP wrote:
Well, to be fair ...... Internet and video games were not invented back then

I'm not that old......we had pac-man and tic tac to!!!

tonie064 Contributor

181POSTS

10 years ago

#18

Sounds great!!! What is your address??? Only kidding. Last year, I made a Pernil and Arroz con Gandules and my grandson invited a friend over and we watched the dropping of the ball here- reaching midnight on the Spanish channels and then the dropping of the ball in times Square and so we had basically two New Years Eves.

Once the clock hit 12 here, we put on all the lights in the house and went outside to watch the many firecrackers going off in the neighborhood. It was a fabulous night. Hopefully this year will be even better!!!

Gary ViP

1845POSTS

10 years ago

#19

We always stay home on New Year's eve. Sometimes we have visitors, sometimes we're alone.
After midnight we stay in for like 15 minutes聽 and hope that we can avoid any stray bullets. (Here in the country many people have guns and despite warnings and government campaigns many idiots fire their guns).
After that we visit family and friends here in the barrio and the party goes on.

No way I get in a car on that night.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

10 years ago

#20

I like the idea of Watching the last sunset of the year in the west of the island and the first one of the new year in the east of the island. Maybe I will organize that when I come permanently to the island.
Maybe hire 2 buses so we party each way and don't have to drive, LOL.