The Christmas holiday season in Spain is a truly magical affair and is
celebrated in ways unique to Spain. Although it doesn't get going until
seemingly the last minute, the Spanish throw themselves whole heartedly into the
spirit of things and the festivities finally culminate on the 6th of January.
There are a few traditional
Spanish Christmas traditions you must know.
The true mark of the beginning of Christmas in Spain is the Spanish national
lottery draw held on December 22nd. 'El Gordo' or the fat one, is so called
because it is the largest national lottery in the world with the total prize
fund running into billions and it also has the best odds of winning. The draw
takes place throughout the whole morning and the whole nation tunes in to watch
the very elaborate drawing of the numbers. The lottery draw is the moment when
Christmas comes to Spain, this symbolic tradition has been going for centuries
and Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without it.
Once the lottery draw has been made, the festivities really begin, students
and children break up for the holidays and lights, decorations and trees
suddenly appear overnight. The traditional Christmas decoration for a true
Spanish Christmas is the 'belén' or nativity scene. Just like other countries
across the world, where Christmas trees take centre stage in town and village
squares, each town and village has its own nativity scene. Some of these scenes
are breathtakingly beautiful and elaborate and can be visited in town halls and
churches across the land. Even personal ones can take over whole rooms in the
house and just with the Christmas tree it is a magical family time spent putting
it together and adding all the little touches.
In addition to the traditional religious characters and popular local scenes,
one special character is paramount to the Spanish belen. He is known as 'el
Cagón' and to be polite, he is a figure in a squat position doing a poo! His
presence symbolises the fertilisation of the land for the coming year but of
course provides much amusement for the children. Although an important and
historical figure in the belén, he has been banned from public nativity scenes
in many towns by local governments so as not to cause offense.
Families gather together on Christmas Eve for the most important meal of the
year called "Noche Buena". It is always held in the evening, in
fact many people won't even start eating until after midnight as the old saying
goes, "Esta noche es Noche Buena, y no es de dormir" this night is the Good
Night, and is not meant for sleeping".
Generally, the celebrations begin early evening when friends and family meet
in bars for a drink before returning home for the main event. Like most
Christmas meals, the Spanish one involves a lot of preparation, many courses,
lots to drink and lasts all night.
Christmas day is a quiet affair and the quietest in the Spanish calendar.
People meet up for a walk or a drink and while many continue the celebrations
with a meal in a restaurant, most people are still recovering from the evening
before. In Catalonia, there is a wonderful Christmas day tradition which goes by
the name of "El Tio."
Basically a decorated log or tree trunk is 'fed' with
sweets and other goodies during the few days before Christmas and then on the
day, children sing the traditional catalan Christmas song and beat El Tio with a
stick when he produces sweets and other delights for all the family.
For Spanish children, the best days of the festive season have to be the 5th
and 6th of January. While the rest of us are packing away the trees and tired
decorations, Spanish children everywhere are preparing for the arrival of the
Three Kings.
In Spain it is not Santa who brings the children their presents, but the
Three Kings or 'Los Reyes Magos'. On the 5th January, the eve of Epiphany
children go to local parades which herald the arrival of the Three Kings. Each
village parade consists of decorative floats with a variety of themes and sweets
and streamers being thrown into the crowds. At the end of the parade, children
get the opportunity to ask the Three Kings for their chosen gift and then leave
their shoes out overnight in which their gift will be placed. In many villages
though, the parade of the Three Kings culminates in a gathering at the local
church or school hall where each child's name is called out and they receive a
small gift. The day of the 6th January is a national holiday, much like
Christmas Day, when children wake up to presents left by the Three Kings.
The typical dessert of the day is called "Rosca de los Reyes" and is a home
baked ring style bread decorated with coloured jellies to symbolise the jewels
worn by the three Kings. Inside is hidden a small surprise similar to what we
find in Christmas crackers. Anyone lucky enough to find the hidden surprise may
be crowned King or Queen for the day!
