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Spanish Christmas Traditions
The holiday season of Christmas in Spain is a truly magical affair. Although it is not going to apparently the last minute, the Spanish throw my heart in the spirit of things and the festivities finally arrive January 6.
The true mark the beginning of Christmas in Spain is the Spanish National Lottery draw held on December 22. "El Gordo" or large, is so called because it is the most large national lottery in the world with the total prize fund running billions and it also has the best chance of winning. The draw takes place throughout the morning and melodies entire nation to watch the elaborate drawing of numbers. Tickets can cost up 200 euro for club many people to buy a part, but there are those who put aside a savings fund, sometimes up to 1000 euros to buy some tickets for the family. The lottery draw is when Christmas comes to Spain, this symbolic tradition that has happened for centuries and Christmas would just not Christmas without it.
Once the draft lottery have been made, the festivities really begin, students and children for the holiday break and the lights, decorations and trees suddenly appear overnight. The traditional Christmas decoration for a true Spanish Christmas is the 'Belen' or Nativity scene. Like other countries around the world where Christmas trees are the center of town and village square, every town and village has its own Belen. Some of these scenes are pretty breathtaking, and develop and can be seen in town halls and churches across the country. Even more personal can take over entire rooms in the house and only with the Christmas tree is a magical moment of the family spent putting together and adding all the little touches. As traditional religious figures and scenes popular local character special is paramount to the belen Spanish. It is known as' el cagon "and be polite, he is a figure in a squatting position, doing a poo! His presence symbolizes the fertilization of the earth for the coming year but of course, provides plenty of fun for children. Even if a character important and historic step Belén, he was banned from nativity scenes to the public in many cities by local governments in order not to offend the consciousness …
Like other Christmas here in Spain There is a time to gather the family together and celebrate with meal. The main Christmas meal in Spain takes place on Christmas Eve or "Noche Buena"
The meal on the eve of the 24th is the most important meal in the calendar Spanish and is always busy in the evening, many people do not start well after midnight as the old saying goes, "Esta noche es Noche Buena, y no es sleep "tonight is a good night, and not for sleeping"
Generally, the party usually starts at early evening when friends and family meet in the bar for a drink before returning home for the main event. Like most meals Christmas, one Spanish involves a lot of preparation, many courses, lots to drink and lasts all night.
You can expect find a wide range of seasonal butterfly watering delights of the table during the meal. Popular foods for starters or appetizers are reductions in shellfish and cold meat which are usually followed by soup and then another fish dish. Is a traditional "Besugo" which is baked bream May but you will also find lobster, crab, salmon, hake, seabass and trout. So, for the traditional dish is the roast lamb or suckling pig well as duck, or turkey served with truffles are increasingly popular. The dessert is traditionally a selection of cakes and sweets such as marzipan, 'polvorones "a kind of sweet bread or turrón Spanish that is made of nougat with roasted almonds and sweet were made in Spain for centuries. The only drink to accompany your meal is cava, the Spanish equivalent of champagne that many say is much better than its French counterpart.
Another must make for a true Spanish Christmas is midnight mass where people will either before or after meals, depending on the time they eat. Midnight Mass of Christmas in Spain is known as' La Misa del Gallo "or" Rooster Mass "because the rooster was the first to announce the birth of Christ. Once the meal and the mass is greater, people returning home to exchange gifts. Children often receive a small gift from "Papa Noel" is less popular than the Three Kings who arrive January 5 with gifts for all children. The evening or morning, usually ends in a bar or nightclub where whole families gather to celebrate and once the festivities of the family is gone.
Christmas Day is a quiet affair and the quietest of the Spanish market calendar. People meet up for a walk or a drink and while many continue the festivities with a meal in a restaurant, most people are still recovering from yesterday. In Catalonia, there is a wonderful Christmas Day tradition which is called "El Tio." Basically a newspaper or decorated tree trunk is "fed" with candy and other sweets for a few days before Christmas, then the day, children sing the traditional Christmas song and beat el Catalan tio with a stick when he produced candies and other delights for the whole family.
Shortly after Christmas Day December 28 there is another celebration curious one of Spain called 'The Day of the Innocents. " Although the origins of this festival lie in the murders of women and children committed by Herod Judea, the celebrations of modern times are similar to those of Day of April fools on a much larger scale. The newspapers publish new ridiculous and even political figures involved. Never believe everything you see or hear on this day and Watch Your Step carefully!
New Year's Eve or "Noche Vieja in Spain is celebrated much like everywhere else, with few exceptions only. Apparently the tradition wearing red underwear, which must be purchased for you by someone else (although I never had the courage to check it by myself.) Another great tradition and long is "las doce uvas or twelve grapes. On the stroke of midnight, a grape must be eaten to each chime of the bell or a clock, all those who manage all twelve we say good luck throughout the coming year. It is a tradition taken very seriously by many in Spanish and even if some of us are still struggling at noon ten, there are many people in practice in art. Preparation is all good, I remember helping to peel and seed the grapes for 10 people last year … …. You can buy ready prepared canned grapes, but this is not the same somehow.
Once the grapes have been eaten and given many kisses, the party really begins. Again, all families of young to old can be seen in bars and nightclubs celebrate the beginning the new year until dawn.
For Spanish children, the best days of the holiday season should be 5 and January 6. While the rest of us are packing away the trees and decorations tired, Spanish children everywhere are preparing for the arrival of the Magi. In Spain it is not Santa who brings the children their presents, but the Kings or Los Reyes Magos "On January 5th, the eve of the Epiphany children attend local parades that announce the arrival of the Magi. Each village parade consists of decorated floats with a variety themes and candy and streamers being thrown into the crowd. At the end of the parade, children get the opportunity to ask for their Three Kings Gift and chose to leave their shoes at night where their donation will be placed. In many villages, even though the procession of the Magi culminates in a rally to local church or school hall where each child's name was called and they receive a small gift. The day of 6 January is a holiday National, a bit like Christmas day and children are waking to gifts left by the Magi. The typical dessert of the day called "Rosca de los Reyes" and bread is baked home-style ring with colored jellies to symbolize the jewelry worn by the three Kings. Inside lies a little surprise like that found in Christmas crackers. Anyone lucky enough to find the hidden surprise may be crowned the king or queen for the day!
Christmas in Spain is fantastic and what I like is the way things are not marketed as they are in the United Kingdom for example. Walking down the road in early December, you will notice that Christmas is around the corner, there are very few Christmas ads on television and it seems years before the lights and decorations up. However, once the fever takes over, you're spoiled by the generosity of spirit of Christmas given to you by the locals, you get free gifts in stores and Tipples free in hotel city, lights and decorations appear as if by magic, there is music to be heard and people seem to suddenly the streets and squares just to wish you good luck and enjoy the atmosphere that goes right until January.
On January 6th marks the end of celebrations Christmas in Spain, then as elsewhere, it's back to the same old. But do not worry about the next holiday is just around the corner …
About the Author
Gayle Hartley is a food writer living in rural Spain and co owner of Orce Serrano Hams. She regularly contributes to Spanish food and lifestyle magazines and newspapers. http://www.orceserranohams.com
