'Tis The Season For Boston's Latino Community

José Massó, host of WBUR's ¡Con Salsa!, joins Radio Boston to talk about two annual Christmas celebrations that bring together the city's Latino community.

El Gaitazo de Boston celebrates the holidays in the rich Venezuelan tradition. And El Jolgorio Navideño, the largest Latino gala in Massachusetts, highlights Puerto Rican culture. (Details below)

Massó explained that both celebrations serve several purposes:

It's an opportunity to bring together these particular groups — the Venezuelan community, the Puerto Rican community. It's a celebration of our tradition and culture, but it is also a moment in which we open the doors to other communities to find out who we are and what we're about other than the things they might think of us. This is one way of us saying, "Here's who we really are." And it's under a joyous occasion. If you are black, white, Asian, of another Latino heritage, these are the doors that are open during that celebratory period to find out more about Venezuela, more about Puerto Rico, to find out more about each other.  They have now become the parties that people expect and look forward to every single year.

Event: El Gaitazo de Boston: A Venezuelan Experience

When: Saturday, December 2, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Silver Fox Restaurant at 530 2nd Street in Everett

How much: $18 to $23

Event: El Jolgorio Navideño, a Puerto Rican holiday gala

When: Saturday, December 15, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Where: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at 415 Summer Street in Boston

How much: $45