Puerto Rico Tropical Birthday Celebration

by Cookie
(FL)

The magical memories I have from The Enchanted Island, better known as Puerto Rico, it is not different than any other. The celebration is done in the Batey, which is a native word from the Taino Indian and it refers to the backyard.

They keep a food tradition which is Roast Pork and Pasteles.

The Pinatas is not a typical part of our tradition but we include it as part of the celebration. We collect flowers from our neighbors backyard to decorate the garden entrance and tables.

My last birthday celebration I had was in the US, and as a reminder of the Island tradition, we included a Tropical birthday: Every one of the men dress in tropical flower shirt, and the women dress in tropical dress and accessories.

The Puerto Rican celebration it's not too different from American celebration. We sing the American Birthday Song in Spanish and in English because it is a bilingual Island.

We are related to central American culture when we celebrate the fifteen birthday. We celebrate also sweet sixteen, and both are celebrated as fancy as a wedding. On that day the girl wears her first high heel shoes.