How Christmas is celebrated in Spain

Christmas is a traditional festival celebrated in Spain in a happy and happy way accompanied by loved ones and best friends. They are days of national holiday in which each autonomous community has its customs to enjoy them to the fullest. But, in general, all Spaniards dress up to celebrate Christmas, buy gifts, decorate the house, make parties, eat the best dishes and ask for peace and prosperity for the New Year . They are an intimate dates that you can not miss, that's why we explain how Christmas is celebrated in Spain.

Customs and traditions of Christmas in Spain

If you want to know how Christmas is celebrated in Spain, first of all it is to know the decoration and the atmosphere that takes place during these dates so indicated.

In general terms you should know that, to celebrate Christmas, Spaniards usually adorn their homes with a series of typical objects that fill the home with color and joy, as well as commemorating the birth of God. Among them stand the Bethlehem portal in the manger and Christmas tree with garlands, stars of Bethlehem, colored balls and pots typical of the time.

Christmas Eve, one of the celebrations of Christmas in Spain

Christmas Eve is celebrated on December 24, although not all the autonomous communities are equally traditional. On the night of the 24th, whole families gather for dinner, usually at the home of one of the relatives.

The typical dinner is stuffed turkey, but it has become widespread and today's dishes are very diverse, according to tastes and preferences. Then it is served with champagne or cava and they eat typical Christmas sweets, accompanied by carols sung by everyone. The tambourine, the zambomba and Christmas instruments are used to accompany the song. At 12 o'clock in the evening, in the churches, the "Misa del gallo" is celebrated , special for the festival in representation of the birth of God.

In some regions, as is the case of Catalonia, during this night the Caga Tió or Tió de Nadal is organized. The Tió is a small wooden trunk that appears weeks before Christmas and the children must feed so that tonight, when they hit him with a cane while the Tió song is sung, he "gulps" gifts and sweets.

The celebration of Christmas Day in Spain

December 25 is Christmas, a very special day that is also celebrated with the family. The celebration of this date is the same as the previous night: meeting, food, singing and happiness for all. In some Spanish families are beginning to celebrate the arrival of Santa Claus or Santa Claus, so that when they wake up on December 25 all members will find a gift by the fireplace or under the tree.

There are certain autonomous communities in Spain, which, like December 25, celebrate the 26th, the day of San Esteban. It is also a family celebration in which the leftovers of the previous feasts are used, for example preparing cannelloni with what has been left over from the soup or cooked.

The celebration of the end of the year in Spain

On December 31st, Spaniards celebrate New Year's Eve, the last night of the year, with joy and lots of celebration, as a special day also of the Christmas period. It is usually a more open day in which the meetings are with family and / or friends. It is traditional that night to wear red underwear, to attract luck.

Dinner at home or in a restaurant, it is expected that at 12 minutes to 1 minute the television retransmits the bells (the officers from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid) and it is accompanied to each of these with a lucky grape . At the end they all offer champagne and wishes are requested, as well as congratulating the next year to all the loved ones. That night is special, a night of fun and party for all ages.

The New Year at Christmas in Spain

January 1 is a national holiday, New Year, in which absolutely nothing is open, the streets are deserted because most sleep after the night before partying. It is the first day of the year and many New Year's concerts are organized for those interested, from any corner of Spain. Many families gather again that day to eat together and celebrate the first day of the year, and continue the Christmas holidays.

The celebration of the day of the Three Kings in Spain

The night of January 5 is very special for the little ones. That night the Magi visit all the children of Spain after receiving the letter they have sent them asking for gifts. That afternoon, in most towns and cities, the parade of the Three Kings fill the streets with joy, sweets and gifts for everyone.

Upon awakening, Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar, will have made the dreams of the best and the bad come true, give them with charcoal. It is typical of that day to eat the roscón de reyes, a sweet bun and filled with cream, cream, marzipan ... which contains surprises: whoever gets the figure of the king, will be crowned while the person who finds the bean should pay for the roscón.

On January 6, children play with illusion with their gifts of Kings before starting school again. If one member of the family is accustomed to giving to another, it is a typical day to visit the relatives' houses and collect gifts. And this is the last day of the Christmas holidays in Spain.

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