Christmas traditions in Spain In the middle of November, the Spanish towns have many changes. The streets are beautifully lit, store windows displays all kinds of holiday merchandise and curious and interesting gifts, and friends and family meets one to another in city centers dressed in thick winter coats, hats and scarves, to combat the chilly December nights. One of the Spain’s traditions during the Christmas season is that families in Spain gather together to enjoy and celebrate. One symbol of Christmas that still maintains much importance throughout Spain is the Nativity scene. These scenes occupy plazas in cities and small towns throughout the country, and can also be seen in the doorways and entrances of many Spanish homes. The Nativity scene, represents the place where Christ was born, and in this place are 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 and a cow In these days leading up to Christmas, one might hear the voices of children singing in the streets, especially in the villages and small towns of rural Spain, where they still participate in the age old tradition called the "aguinaldo". Children sing Christmas carols in their neighbourhoods. In exchange the neighbours typically give the children a piece of candy or a few coins. On December 21st, an important event takes place. Students are released from school and start their winter holidays.
December 24, Christmas Eve Christmas Eve in Spain, called “Nochebuena”, it’s a time for family to gather together, for eating an enormous meal. There is a wide variety of typical foods some of them are roast lamb and suckling pig ,turkey or duck, and an enormous variety of seafood, including shrimp, lobster, crab, and various types of fish. For dessert, the most tipycal are turrón ( a kind of almond candy) and mazapan, desserts made of honey, egg and almonds that are Arabic in origin, and a variety of nuts and dried fruits.
December 25, Christmas Day Christmas day is more or less a continuation of what began the day before. People spend time with their families, they eat another large meal. In many families, children enjoy the gifts that they have received from “Papa Noel”, the Spanish equivalent of Santa Claus. The custom of giving gifts on this date is not as popular as it is in many countries.
December 28, Day of the Innocents ( Holy innocents day ) December 28 marks a day of celebration exclusively Spanish called the Day of the Innocents. The customs practiced on this day are very jovial and fun. People become
very confused as absurd or incredible news appears in the papers. And people use to make jokes to the relatives and friends.
December 31, New Year's Eve The celebrations that take place on New Year’s Eve, or Nochevieja, in Spain, are quite an impressive spectacle. In all plazas of Spanish cities big and small, one can see a similar scene, that include church bells and grapes. When the clock strikes 12, the church bells sound 12 times, and at this moment, all Spanish people eat 12 grapes, one for each toll of the bell. According to tradition, those who eat the grapes will have 12 months of prosperity in the new year.
January 6, The Three wise men This day in Spain people are still continuing the celebration. January 6, Three King’s Day, is the long awaited day in which the three Kings bring their gifts. On January 5, children go to a parade where they see the three kings arrive to their city. Later, before going to bed, 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 Mechior, Gaspar, and Balthasar. ( the names of the three wise men) For breakfast or after lunch, families often have the typical dessert of the day, the “Roscón de los Reyes”, a large ring shaped cake that is decorated with candied fruits, symbolic of the emeralds and rubies that adorned the robes of the three kings. Somewhere inside the cake there is a surprise, and the person to find it will be crowned King or Queen of the house for the remainder of the day.
Answer these questions 1. ¿ What are the changes that Spanish towns have? 2. ¿ What do the people usually wear? 3. ¿What is one of the Spanish tradition during Christmas? 4. ¿Do you do the same in your family? 5. Which is one of the symbol of Christmas? ¿ Do you put this in your house? 6. ¿What do the children sing? ¿ Do you usually sing to your family to get some money? 7. ¿What do you usually eat at Christmas eve? 8. ¿ Do you receive presents or Gifts at Christmas day? 9. ¿Do you do jokes to others on the 28th of December? 10. ¿Do you eat grapes in the new year’s eve?
11. ¿Do you go to bed earlier on the 5th of January? 12. ¿ Do you leave your shoes in your window? 13. ¿Do you leave food for the camels? 14. ¿Do you eat “Roscón”?