The Traditional Coca-Cola Christmas Trees in Plaza España

Every year one of the great Christmas traditions in Santo Domingo, for both young and old, is visiting the giant Coca-Cola Christmas Tree. The tree is located in Plaza España in front of the Palacio Virreinal Alcázar de Colón in the Colonial Zone. This year due to Covid-19, sadly, there is no Christmas Tree.

Covid-19 ate our Árbol de Navidad.

Since 2006 Coca-Cola and Bepensa, the local bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company, has sponsored the huge tree (a few years the tree was 40 feet tall with more than 80 thousand light bulbs)located in the center of Plaza España in front of the Alcazar de Colón. This is Coca-Cola’s Christmas gift to all Dominicans. The theme is “Da lo bueno” / “Give it good.” and is meant to strengthen the Christmas spirit.

From what I found the first Árbol de Navidad was erected in 2006. Visiting the Plaza has become a Christmas Tradition in Dominican Republic / Tradición Navideña en República Dominicana. In 2015 a new tree design was introduced.

The inauguration of the tree usually signals the start of the holiday season that runs until 3 King’s Day at the beginning of January.

It is interesting to note the pink tree for the year 2019. According to Coca-Cola, this is the first pink Christmas tree in the world. “We made the color change to call all Dominicans to unite for fairness and respect for women.”

Let’s hope and pray that next year all returns back to normal and we can again share Christmas / Navidad with all the traditions we have come to love. ¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo! – Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

How Dominicans Celebrate Navidad / Christmas.

 

 

I made some picture slide shows of Christmas Past.

Reference – diariolibre.com/revista/se-inicia-la-navidad-de-coca-cola