Aguinaldos for Christmas

December 4, 2013 — aguinaldos, Christmas, music

In the tropical part of the world Christmas is celebrated differently. Aguinaldos are songs that people sing during the season.  The man above is playing an instrument I have not seen, the Puerto Rican cuatro ( which seems to have 8 strings and be pretty big).  The traditions differ, but where I lived in Venezuela, the parranda, or band of musical merry makers, went from house to house singing, drinking and then taking the family with them along to the next house.  Unlike Christmas caroling, this parranda gets bigger and more spirited as the night continues.  They usually came to my house last because my dad was their boss (everyone who lived in the petroleum camp) and it was fitting that he supply the alcohol for the majority of the evening. They came with harps and cuatros, guitars and furucos, cramming into our large central courtyard and rushing the bar.  They made up improvisational songs about our house and our family, a la calypso (which comes from neighbor Trinidad).  Many of the songs were funny and had nothing to do with Jesus.  Some people think of Christmas and snow, and that is fine, but there is more to December than sleighs and gluttony.  Here are some religious Venezuelan aguinaldos. I do like to hear the Mormans ripping a Hallelujah Chorus or two, but I am also very nostalgic about the memory of my tropical Christmas fun. Feliz Navidad!