Puerto Rico celebrates all official U.S. holidays,[1] and a of other official holidays established by the Commonwealth government. Additionally, many municipalities celebrate their own Patron Saint Festivals (fiestas patronales in Spanish), as well as festivals honoring cultural icons like bomba y plena, danza, salsa, hamacas (hammocks), and popular crops such as plantains and coffee.
Until June 30, 2014, there were 19 public holidays in Puerto Rico. As a result of a new Commonwealth law, after July 1, 2014, the Commonwealth government consolidated three of its former holidays (Luis Muñoz Rivera, José Celso Barbosa, and Luis Muñoz Marín) into just one called Día de los Próceres Puertorriqueños (The Day of Illustrious Puerto Ricans), and reducing the number of holidays observed publicly to 17. As part of the new law, the third Monday of February became Día de los Próceres Puertorriqueños when, in addition to commemorating the birth of those three illustrious Puerto Ricans will also include commemorating the birthdays of four other illustrious Puerto Ricans – Ramón Emeterio Betances, Román Baldorioty de Castro, Ernesto Ramos Antonini and Luis A. Ferré. The law mandated that the Eugenio María de Hostos holiday and the José de Diego holiday would continue to be observed on their respective days as usual.[2][3]
Official public holidays are those recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government. All public offices must close. Many businesses also elect to close. These public holidays include both federal and commonwealth-established holidays, since Puerto Rico recognizes all U.S. federal holidays.[4]
As in most countries, this holiday is celebrated with gatherings and fireworks. Although illegal, celebratory gunfire has sometimes led to injuries and even deaths on certain occasions.[6] Official commonwealth and federal holiday.
This is a Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday, as well as a religious holiday. It celebrates the Three Wise Men's visit to see the newborn Christ by exchanging gifts. Traditionally, children stack bundles of hay in boxes under their beds for each Wise Man's camel, to then find their boxes exchanged for gifts.[7]
A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday. Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873—eight years after the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as the Island was still a colony of Spain at the time.
An official Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday. (See also Constitution of Puerto Rico.) Formerly called Occupation Day, commemorating the anniversary of the landing of American troops at Guánica in 1898.
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (ELA) holiday. Dr. José Celso Barbosa (1857–1921) was a medical doctor and an early advocate of statehood, founder of the Republican Party on the Island.
A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday. Formerly known as Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico, as Christopher Columbus landed on the northwest coast of Puerto Rico near Aguada on this day in 1493.
Official holiday. Also known as Nacimiento del niño Jesús. During Spanish colonial rule (1492 to 1898), "Navidad" (Christmas in English), marked the Christian ecumenical celebration date of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It was not until the development of the commercialization of Christmas, product of the subsequent American colonial rule, that "Navidad" becomes the delivery day for Santa Claus. As in the rest of the United States, Santa Claus leaves Christmas presents under the "Árbol de Navidad" (Christmas tree). This has replaced in large part, but not entirely, the gift giving custom of Puerto Ricans in Three Kings Day. No other country celebrates a holiday for so long. Many countries celebrate Christmas for a couple of days, or as long as four or five. In Puerto Rico, however, the celebration starts after Thanksgiving and ends in the third week of January, on the last day of the St. Sebastian Street Festival in Old San Juan.
^Formerly celebrated on the second Monday of January. Eugenio María de Hostos (1839–1903) was a writer and statesman who struggled for Puerto Rican independence and the end to slavery in the late 19th century.
^Also celebrated on the third Monday of February. Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980) was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico. He founded the Partido Popular Democrático and was instrumental in establishing the Commonwealth status in 1952. He was a noted journalist and poet, and served four terms as governor.
^Formerly celebrated on the third Monday of April. José de Diego (1867–1918) was a much-loved poet and political leader. In recent years, the holiday has been celebrated on the third Monday of April.
^Formerly celebrated on the third Monday of July. Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (1859–1916) was a prominent journalist, poet, and politician who advocated independence from Spain and later, the United States. His son Luis Muñoz Marín was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico.
Religious holidaysedit
Date
English name
Local name (in Spanish)
Remarks
January 5
Eve of Epiphany
Víspera de los Tres Reyes Magos
Puerto Rican children leave a box with grass for the camels of the Three Wise Men and a glass of water for the magos themselves.
January 6
Three Kings Day
Epiphanys Twelfth Night
Día de los Tres Reyes Magos
Children find that the camels ate the grass and the Three Kings drank the water left for them the day before. Traditionally the Kings leave presents under the children's beds.
Like other Catholic cultures (Brazil, Trinidad, Louisiana), the solemn 40 days of Lent are preceded in Puerto Rico by a massive blow-out with elaborate costumes and parades. In the city of Ponce, in particular, Carnival time means characters in the streets wearing incredible horned-devil masks, called vejigantes.
Since John the Baptist is the patron saint of the Island and the namesake of the capital city (San Juan), his day is widely celebrated by big parties on the beaches on the Eve of St. John's Day (June 23). One tradition is to walk backward into the ocean and fall in 12 times at midnight on the beginning of the 24th.
December 24
Christmas Eve
Nochebuena
Día de Nochebuena
Christmas traditions in Puerto Rico include a large supper with families and friends on Christmas Eve, and the Midnight Mass or Misa de Gallo. Anytime during las navidades neighbors and friends make a parranda or asalto, going from house to house singing Puerto Rican Christmas carols. Once everything has been eaten and drunk, the erstwhile 'host' joins the trulla and they all go to somebody else's house to eat and drink.
December 28
Day of the Innocents, Festival of the Masks
Día de los Innocentes
Día de las Máscaras en Hatillo
A Christmas season tradition in the town of Hatillo on the north coast. Similar to Mardi Gras "crewes" in Louisiana, teams of friends completely cover cars, trucks, and floats with elaborate frilly decorations, and wearing head-to-toe costumes, while cruising the country roads, and playing practical jokes along the way. There is a not-to-be missed half-day long parade, full of loud noise and brilliant colors. The tricksters commemorate Herod's soldiers and the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem.
Referencesedit
^"Puerto Rico description". WelcometoPuertoRico.org. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
^A solo una firma para reducir días feriados: Ahora serían 15 los días oficiales. El Nuevo Dia. 30 June 2014.
^Legislatura acuerda reducir los días feriados. Rebecca Banuchi. Primera Hora. 30 June 2014.
^"Días feriado de Puerto Rico 2018" (PDF) (in Spanish). Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (Camara de Comercio de Puerto Rico). Retrieved 26 January 2023.
^(PDF). Oficina de Administración y Transformación de los Recursos Humanos. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
^Frank Griffiths (January 6, 2003). "Niña abatida por una supuesta bala perdida en Nochevieja muere en un hospital puertorriqueño". Puerto Rico Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
^"Glossary". Welcome.toPuertoRico.org. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
Official Government Holidays for 2010. Gobierno.pr (Spanish)
January 01, 1970
public, holidays, puerto, rico, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, js. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Public holidays in Puerto Rico news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message Puerto Rico celebrates all official U S holidays 1 and a of other official holidays established by the Commonwealth government Additionally many municipalities celebrate their own Patron Saint Festivals fiestas patronales in Spanish as well as festivals honoring cultural icons like bomba y plena danza salsa hamacas hammocks and popular crops such as plantains and coffee Until June 30 2014 there were 19 public holidays in Puerto Rico As a result of a new Commonwealth law after July 1 2014 the Commonwealth government consolidated three of its former holidays Luis Munoz Rivera Jose Celso Barbosa and Luis Munoz Marin into just one called Dia de los Proceres Puertorriquenos The Day of Illustrious Puerto Ricans and reducing the number of holidays observed publicly to 17 As part of the new law the third Monday of February became Dia de los Proceres Puertorriquenos when in addition to commemorating the birth of those three illustrious Puerto Ricans will also include commemorating the birthdays of four other illustrious Puerto Ricans Ramon Emeterio Betances Roman Baldorioty de Castro Ernesto Ramos Antonini and Luis A Ferre The law mandated that the Eugenio Maria de Hostos holiday and the Jose de Diego holiday would continue to be observed on their respective days as usual 2 3 Contents 1 Official public holidays 2 Religious holidays 3 References 4 External linksOfficial public holidays editOfficial public holidays are those recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government All public offices must close Many businesses also elect to close These public holidays include both federal and commonwealth established holidays since Puerto Rico recognizes all U S federal holidays 4 Date English name Official name in Spanish 5 Remarks January 1 New Year s Day Dia de Ano Nuevo As in most countries this holiday is celebrated with gatherings and fireworks Although illegal celebratory gunfire has sometimes led to injuries and even deaths on certain occasions 6 Official commonwealth and federal holiday January 6 Three Kings Day Epiphany Dia de Reyes This is a Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday as well as a religious holiday It celebrates the Three Wise Men s visit to see the newborn Christ by exchanging gifts Traditionally children stack bundles of hay in boxes under their beds for each Wise Man s camel to then find their boxes exchanged for gifts 7 Third Monday of January Martin Luther King Jr Day Natalicio del Dr Martin Luther King Jr A federal and commonwealth official holiday Third Monday of February Presidents Day Dia de Jorge Washington Dia de los Presidentes y el Dia de las Mujeres y Hombres Proceres de Puerto Rico a A federal and commonwealth official holiday Also known as Dia de los Presidentes Some former holidays were merged into this one Birthday of Eugenio Maria de Hostos b Birthday of Luis Munoz Marin c Birthday of Jose de Diego d and Birthday of Luis Munoz Rivera e March 2 American Citizenship Day Dia de la Ciudadania Americana A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday Puerto Ricans have been American citizens since March 2 1917 March 22 Emancipation Day Dia de la Abolicion de Esclavitud A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873 eight years after the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution as the Island was still a colony of Spain at the time Friday in late March or early April Good Friday Viernes Santo An official public holiday and a religious holiday See notes below in the religious holidays section Last Monday of May Memorial Day Dia de la Conmemoracion de los Muertos en la Guerra A federal and commonwealth official holiday Also known as Dia de la Recordacion June 19 Juneteenth A federal official holiday July 4 Independence Day Dia de la Independencia de los Estados Unidos A federal and commonwealth official holiday July 25 Puerto Rico Constitution Day Dia de la Constitucion de Puerto Rico An official Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday See also Constitution of Puerto Rico Formerly called Occupation Day commemorating the anniversary of the landing of American troops at Guanica in 1898 July 27 Birthday of Jose Celso Barbosa Dia de Jose Celso Barbosa Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ELA holiday Dr Jose Celso Barbosa 1857 1921 was a medical doctor and an early advocate of statehood founder of the Republican Party on the Island First Monday of September Labor Day Dia del Trabajo A federal and commonwealth official holiday Second Monday of October Columbus Day Dia de la Raza Descubrimiento de America A federal and commonwealth official holiday November 11 Veterans Day Dia del Veterano A federal and commonwealth official holiday usually observed at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery Also known as Dia del Armisticio November 19 Discovery of Puerto Rico Dia de la Puertorriquenidad A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday Formerly known as Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico as Christopher Columbus landed on the northwest coast of Puerto Rico near Aguada on this day in 1493 Fourth Thursday of November Thanksgiving Day Dia de Accion de Gracias A federal and commonwealth official holiday It marks the beginning of the Holiday Christmas season December 25 Christmas Dia de Navidad Official holiday Also known as Nacimiento del nino Jesus During Spanish colonial rule 1492 to 1898 Navidad Christmas in English marked the Christian ecumenical celebration date of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth It was not until the development of the commercialization of Christmas product of the subsequent American colonial rule that Navidad becomes the delivery day for Santa Claus As in the rest of the United States Santa Claus leaves Christmas presents under the Arbol de Navidad Christmas tree This has replaced in large part but not entirely the gift giving custom of Puerto Ricans in Three Kings Day No other country celebrates a holiday for so long Many countries celebrate Christmas for a couple of days or as long as four or five In Puerto Rico however the celebration starts after Thanksgiving and ends in the third week of January on the last day of the St Sebastian Street Festival in Old San Juan Dia de Jorge Washington Dia de los Presidentes y el Dia de las Mujeres y Hombres Proceres de Puerto Rico en honor a la vida y obra de Teniente Augusto Rodriguez Eugenio Maria de Hostos Jose de Diego Luis Munoz Rivera Jose Celso Barbosa Ramon Emeterio Betances Roman Baldorioty de Castro Luis Munoz Marin Ernesto Ramos Antonini Luis A Ferre Aguayo Lola Rodriguez de Tio Nilita Vientos Gaston Julia de Burgos Mariana Bracetti Ana Roque de Duprey Luisa Capetillo Maria Luisa Arcelay Sor Isolina Ferre Felisa Rincon de Gautier Maria Libertad Gomez Roberto Clemente Walker y Rafael Hernandez Colon Formerly celebrated on the second Monday of January Eugenio Maria de Hostos 1839 1903 was a writer and statesman who struggled for Puerto Rican independence and the end to slavery in the late 19th century Also celebrated on the third Monday of February Luis Munoz Marin 1898 1980 was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico He founded the Partido Popular Democratico and was instrumental in establishing the Commonwealth status in 1952 He was a noted journalist and poet and served four terms as governor Formerly celebrated on the third Monday of April Jose de Diego 1867 1918 was a much loved poet and political leader In recent years the holiday has been celebrated on the third Monday of April Formerly celebrated on the third Monday of July Don Luis Munoz Rivera 1859 1916 was a prominent journalist poet and politician who advocated independence from Spain and later the United States His son Luis Munoz Marin was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico Religious holidays editDate English name Local name in Spanish Remarks January 5 Eve of Epiphany Vispera de los Tres Reyes Magos Puerto Rican children leave a box with grass for the camels of the Three Wise Men and a glass of water for the magos themselves January 6 Three Kings Day Epiphanys Twelfth Night Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos Children find that the camels ate the grass and the Three Kings drank the water left for them the day before Traditionally the Kings leave presents under the children s beds the week before Ash Wednesday Carnival Carnaval Like other Catholic cultures Brazil Trinidad Louisiana the solemn 40 days of Lent are preceded in Puerto Rico by a massive blow out with elaborate costumes and parades In the city of Ponce in particular Carnival time means characters in the streets wearing incredible horned devil masks called vejigantes First day of Lent Ash Wednesday Miercoles de Ceniza Devout Roman Catholics abstain from eating meat or poultry on this day Many attend church services Sunday before Easter Sunday Palm Sunday Domingo de Ramos Palm Sunday through Easter Holy Week Semana Santa Most schools colleges and universities give the complete week as a recess to students Friday before Easter Good Friday Viernes Santo This is the most solemn day of the whole year on the island All businesses close Easter Easter Domingo de la Resurreccion Domingo de Pascuas June 24 Saint John s Day Dia de San Juan Bautista Fiestas de San Juan Since John the Baptist is the patron saint of the Island and the namesake of the capital city San Juan his day is widely celebrated by big parties on the beaches on the Eve of St John s Day June 23 One tradition is to walk backward into the ocean and fall in 12 times at midnight on the beginning of the 24th December 24 Christmas Eve Nochebuena Dia de Nochebuena Christmas traditions in Puerto Rico include a large supper with families and friends on Christmas Eve and the Midnight Mass or Misa de Gallo Anytime during las navidades neighbors and friends make a parranda or asalto going from house to house singing Puerto Rican Christmas carols Once everything has been eaten and drunk the erstwhile host joins the trulla and they all go to somebody else s house to eat and drink December 28 Day of the Innocents Festival of the Masks Dia de los Innocentes Dia de las Mascaras en Hatillo A Christmas season tradition in the town of Hatillo on the north coast Similar to Mardi Gras crewes in Louisiana teams of friends completely cover cars trucks and floats with elaborate frilly decorations and wearing head to toe costumes while cruising the country roads and playing practical jokes along the way There is a not to be missed half day long parade full of loud noise and brilliant colors The tricksters commemorate Herod s soldiers and the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem References edit Puerto Rico description WelcometoPuertoRico org Retrieved September 22 2007 A solo una firma para reducir dias feriados Ahora serian 15 los dias oficiales El Nuevo Dia 30 June 2014 Legislatura acuerda reducir los dias feriados Rebecca Banuchi Primera Hora 30 June 2014 Dias feriado de Puerto Rico 2018 PDF in Spanish Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce Camara de Comercio de Puerto Rico Retrieved 26 January 2023 MEMORANDO ESPECIAL NUM 12 2023 PDF Oficina de Administracion y Transformacion de los Recursos Humanos Archived from the original PDF on 16 January 2024 Retrieved 20 February 2024 Frank Griffiths January 6 2003 Nina abatida por una supuesta bala perdida en Nochevieja muere en un hospital puertorriqueno Puerto Rico Herald Retrieved September 22 2007 Glossary Welcome toPuertoRico org Retrieved September 22 2007 External links edit nbsp Puerto Rico portal Official Government Holidays for 2010 Gobierno pr Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Public holidays in Puerto Rico amp oldid 1213455891, wikipedia, 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