*Blue Mall has the Coro Navideño/ Christmas songs. Live Christmas music every Saturday from 5:30PM to 7:30PM

*Nove Centro Shopping Mall
November 23 until January 1, 2012 on the 3rd floor level. The children will find the Christmas Village a unique atmosphere with rides. From 12 noon to 6:30.

*Megacentro has been converted into the house of Santa Clause. Created by Fidel Lopez for customers to live the joy of Christmas with their colors, music and characters of the time.

*I remember years past La Sirena on Churchill had Ice skating on a fake ice rink. not sure if its happening or not this year.

Here are links to many of the malls web sites so you can check for yourself.

*The Miracle of Christmas/ El Milagro de la Navidad. Banco Popular infront of the Torre Popular in Santo Domingo. Sunday December 18 and 25 begining at 7:00 pm. The show recreates the birth of Baby Jesus written and directed by famed Dominican playwright Iván García. There will be a total of 43 actors and 30 singers.

*Plaza España in Colonial Zone has the giant Coca-Cola sponsored Christmas tree and Santa Village. Santa is usually there on the weekends.

*Colonial Zone has so many decorations and celebrations throughout the area. You can see beautiful decorations outside of peoples homes, in the parks and all along the Conde. Walk aroud and check out all the lights, sounds and entertainment of the Christmas season celebrated Dominican style.

The Centro de Inventario de Bienes e Inmuebles del Ministerio de Cultura, has an exhibition. “How People Live in the Colonial City.” located on Luperon and Hostos, opposite the Ruinas del Hospital San Nicolas de Bari, Colonial Zone. Hours: 8 AM to 4 PM and 7:30 PM to 10 PM. Runs from December 20 to January 10, 2012. Admission is free.
Open from 20 December through 10 January 2012.

Toque Profundo at Casa de Teatro, Colonial Zone Thursday, December 22nd at 9 PM cost: $500rdp

Religious things happening in the Cathedral de Santa Maria, the Oldest Cathedral in the Americas in Parque Colon, Colonial Zone.

*Midnight Mass/ La Misa del Gallo is celebrated at 10 pm in the Cathedral on Christmas Eve/ Noche Buena

*Christmas Day Choral Concert starting at 8PM. If you want to sit inside you better get there hours early. There will be giant screens set up outside for those who cannot get inside the oldest cathedral in the new world. The choir will be singing traditional religious Christmas songs with a few surprises thrown in.

*New Year’s Mass/ la Misa de Año Nuevo December 31 at 11:00 pm in the Cathedral

For information n the way we celebrate Christmas in Dominican Republic

According to the papers many of the Informal workers grouped in the Association of Traders of the Colonial Zone/ Trabajadores informales agrupados en la Asociación de Buhoneros de la Zona Colonial vendors located in Colonial Zone, most along Calle el Conde, are being evicted from their long occupied locations.

Many of these people have been here for years and years and now they say their wares are being confiscated by the police and that they are also being abused and imprisoned by the authorities. There have been over 40 vendors evicted since this operation began.

The president of the Asociación de Buhoneros de la Zona Colonial y Aledañas, Xiomara Espaillat, says they know who are the legal vendors and the ones that are selling illegally and they will remove the ones that are illegal. They say that many of the vendors inflate prices and also harass the people. These bad vendors also draw customers away from the legitimate businesses. Shop owners do not like these people selling on the streets but they have been around for many years and feel that they have the right to sell. So the fight will continue.

So be aware that if you see one of these protests happening along the Conde to be a little cautious as sometimes these can become violent and you do not want to be caught up in all the action. Also if you are harassed by any vendor or person in the Conde report it to the local police.

http://www.listin.com.do/economia-and-negocios/2010/9/27/160451/Buhoneros-Zona-Colonial-dicen-sufren-desalojos