Fish for Christmas dinner? No presents on Christmas Day? Grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve? What is going on? Paul Whitelock checks out the Christmas scene in Spain in general and Andalucía in particular. Spain enjoys its Christmas traditions as much as any other Christian countries and cultures, but there are some intriguing differences in the way the Spanish celebrate Navidad Just like anywhere else, families gather together to enjoy and celebrate. Whatever the case, the goal is to share in the spirit of giving, kindness, and goodwill through food, drink, song, dance, the exchanging of gifts, and other acts of generosity. In Spain, Christmas is normally a festival with fascinating traditions and customs that reflect the true character of the Spanish people.
Christmas market [Photo courtesy: Idealista]
The Christmas period starts as early as December 8th with the Festival of the Immaculate Conception , a national holiday. It is celebrated each year in front of the great Gothic cathedral in Sevilla with a ceremony called Los Seises By early December the streets of towns and villages will have been decorated with Christmas lights and the shops will have begun to display their Christmas wares. One symbol of Christmas that still maintains great importance throughout Spain is the belén belén belén
Un belé n [Photo courtesy: RACE]
In many small towns, during the nights just before Christmas, the plazas might even have a live Nativity scene, with actors playing the parts of Mary and Joseph and the Three Wise Men, as well as live animals that are often associated with the birth of Christ, like lambs, sheep, and donkeys. Talking of animals, did you know that the humble cow is an important Christmas symbol here? The Spanish especially honour the cow at Christmas because it is thought that when Mary gave birth to Jesus the cow in the stable breathed on the Baby Jesus to keep Him warm.
Christmas cows [Photo courtesy: Etsy]
On December 22nd, two important events take place. Schools break up for Christmas and the winning number in the famous Christmas Lottery, el Gordo , is announced. The lottery, one of Europe’s oldest, dates back to 1763, when King Carlos III initiated it. Since then, not one year has passed without it and it is a symbolic moment when Spaniards begin to celebrate the Christmas holidays in earnest.
Courtesy: Visit Andalucía
An interesting tradition, predominantly in the provinces of Granada and Jaén, is that of jumping over bonfires, or hogueras
Christmas Eve, Nochebuena turrón polvorones
Polvorones [Photo courtesy: My Karamelli]
To drink, they opt for cava La misa del Gallo Christmas day, el Día de Navidad Papa Noel Día de Reyes , Three King’s Day, on January 6th. December 28th marks a day of celebration exclusively Spanish called el Día de los Inocentes However, this day is far from sombre. Roughly equivalent to our April Fools Day it is a day for practical jokes and laughter. December 31st, New Year’s Eve, Nochevieja People turn up with a bagful of grapes and as the town clock is striking midnight, everybody attempts to eat 12 grapes. According to tradition, those who succeed will have 12 months of good luck and prosperity. Courtesy: Spain.info
Families and friends stay together for this celebration which marks the end of one year and the beginning of a new one, and in the case of most Spaniards this means a lively celebration will be had until the early hours of the morning, with fireworks and much drinking. While most of the Christian world has already begun packing up the Christmas decorations, throwing out the tree, and finding a place for all the gifts, Spaniards are continuing the celebration. January 6th, el Día de Reyes
Courtesy: Time and Date
On January 5th, children leave their shoes out in a visible spot in the house or on their balcony, and go to bed hoping that when they wake up they will find gifts left by Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar. Shoes are filled with straw or barley for the tired camels that must carry their royal riders through the busy night. By morning the camel food is gone and in place of the straw or barley are presents. For breakfast or after lunch, families often have the typical dessert of the day, el Roscón de los Reyes
El Roscó
Most big towns and cities have Epiphany Parades with each King having a big float that is shaped like a camel. Sometimes there are also real camels in the parade too. In a normal year the Christmas period in Spain lasts for a good month and however strange or different some of the Christmas customs in Spain seem to us guiris As the Spanish would say, in the four official languages of the Spanish republic: ¡Feliz Navidad! ¡Bon Nadal! ¡Bo Nadal! ¡Eguberri on!
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Note : This is an updated version of an article that first appeared on www.secretserrania.com on 23/12/2020
