A recent day-long discussion regarding race and diversity at GM’s Innovation Xchange (which ironically ended with a Christmas “White Elephant” exchange) prompted me to do a little research on the size of the Latino community in Detroit. After consulting the scholars at Wikipedia, I worked my way over to a slightly more reputable and undoubtedly more interesting snapshot of demographic information as it relates to population change. From 2000 to 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau reported a 24% or 237,493 person drop in Detroit’s population. I can say with pride that the ONLY racial category that experienced growth during this time was the Hispanic/Latino population, which now represents close to 7% of Detroit. However, even with the addition of one Puerto Rican to Lafayette Park, the next U.S. Census will still place me very far from the majority, a fact that unfortunately means the holiday season will be unlike the ones I grew up with in Puerto Rico.

So then, what’s la versión puertorriqueña? I’ll run you through a food, a custom, and an event that I consistently miss the most now that I’m going on my seventh Christmas away from la isla. Item one: coquito or a creamy, coconut egg nog with a kick. After a couple glasses, you feel like you’re right back on the island in the tropic sun. This stuff reminds me why Puerto Rico is the rum capital of the world and goes hand-in-hand with number two: la parranda. In a parranda, a large group gathers outside of the house of an unsuspecting Puerto Rican around 2 or 3 a.m. to play Spanish and Latin American instruments and sing songs until the dormant Latino wakes up and invites the rowdy travelers in to continue the party. The expectation is that all Puerto Ricans have food and spirits stocked during the holiday season so that when parranda-ed, the loud mob has plenty of gasolina to keep the festivities going. The nights of parrandas and coquito flow up until my favorite holiday event: el Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos on January 6th. From a religious perspective, it’s come to be as a tribute to the three kings who brought baby Jesus gifts upon his birth. Instead of leaving cookies for Santa, we put grass in a shoebox to feed the kings’ camels! In the morning, more presents and a day of parties.

Wishing you were Puerto Rican yet? Don’t get me wrong. Detroit puts on an amazing show. Lights up and down Woodward. Skating at Campus Martius. Noel Night. Local businesses shelling out deals that’ll make ya’ squeal. But there is something to be said for the traditions that shaped my childhood. In the years to come, I hope to see the Latino presence in Detroit grow not just in size, but in contributions to the holiday seasons and customs already in place. In the meantime, I’ll do my part by mixing up the coquito…