RSS

Christmas in Spain

No nation in the world knows how to have fun like Spain, so at Christmas, the celebrations are naturally long and spectacular.

The Christmas season in Spain is of course focused on religion, more than in England, where the pagan traditions of gift and decoration of the tree have overshadowed the true meaning of Christmas and the celebration of the birth of the son of God .

Spanish, see the night the day before Christmas as a time for family, parties and spending time together in the house. Unlike other countries, you will find shops, bars and restaurants open on Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day is something else, where everything is open and running, including buses and trains, all fixed so that families can visit each other without having to take the car!

During Advent, which is the four weeks preceding Christmas, houses, towns and villages are decorated with Christmas trees (árboles de Navidad), crowns (crowns Navidad), Foil (espumillón), holly ( acebo), mistletoe (Muérdago) and poinsettia (flores de Navidad), as well as innovative lighting wrapped around tree branches. But the most popular ornament in accordance with the religious tone of the season is "belén - the nursery. Some cities build ornate scenes, and many do not end with Jesus in the manger, with representatives longest part of the Christmas story, and in some places, they are not just using figures - they use real actors! Some of them are a popular tourist attraction. If you are lucky enough to see one, do not be surprised if the animals eat-traditional side are connected by the national symbol of Spain - the bull!

Also during December many people to participate in the Spanish El Gordo, the draw the most famous in the world with massive cash prizes (El Gordo literally means "big"). The Christmas Draw is on December 22 and the total price of 2.023 billion euros! It's more than 1.3 billion pounds! To learn more about www.elgordo.com.

The Spaniards have a long Christmas period, with the first major celebration will be held on December 21, the winter solstice and shortest day of the year. Bonfires - which means "fire" - is more a tradition than Christmas itself, and marks the beginning of winter. As bonfires while being lit in all of Spain, in some cities (including Granada and Jaen, Andalusia), you'll see people jumping over fires, which is an act meant to protect against disease.

Christmas Eve - Nochebuena (which means "good night") - December 24 sees families gather for a special meal late at night. This usually consists of a first course of seafood, followed by many types of meat, not only for Turkey, although it is popular, especially stuffed with truffles (Pavo Trufado de Navidad). After the meal, the family gather around the Christmas tree and sing carols (villancicos) including the popular Catalan At midnight, bells ring throughout Spain to call families to "La Misa del Gallo 'Fum, Fum, Fum. " - Literally, "the Mass of the Rooster." Christmas has no place to sleep! There is an old Spanish saying:

Tonight is good night, not a night to sleep

Christmas Day (El Día de Navidad), unlike other countries, is not a day to exchange gifts. Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) is known in Spain, but is not very popular, so Spanish children can not be corrupted by the "if you're not good Santa will not bring you gifts this year Online. There is a time for gift giving, but not on Christmas Day.

Boxing Day (Día del Boxeo) is best known as the feast of St. Stephen (San Esteban) and is a holiday in Spain. December 28 is "el día de los Santos Inocentes, the Day of the Innocents. This is the Spanish version of April Fools Day and see people getting involved in practical jokes and tears Inocente, Inocente! "(" Innocent, innocent! ") When they are caught. As in the UK, newspapers are also in stupidity.

December 31 is New Years Eve of course - known as' night Nochevieja old or Spain. The UK equivalent of Trafalgar Square convergence is the Puerta del Sol, where tens of thousands of people gather to celebrate the New Year see But wherever people are in Spain, they will see in the new year in the traditional way - with the "eat grapes" (tomar las uvas). Everyone gathered around the clock twelve grapes, and as each chime of midnight rings, so they have to eat a grape. A good tip to take the good grape skins first to help you eat them so fast!

This tradition dates back quite recently - the early 20th century - and supposedly emerged after a bizarrely large crop of grapes were harvested in Spain an exceptionally warm winter. Not knowing what to do with unwanted culture, winemakers have had the idea of ​​anyone in Spain eat twelve grapes at midnight to see in the new year.

El día de año nuevo, the first of January, New Year's Day is a holiday and is in Spain.

The next major event, and most important Christmas season Spanish is el día de los Reyes Magos - Three Kings Day. This takes place during the 5th and 6th of January and is currently the most watched with interest by children in Spain, as the day they get their presents!

Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar are the three kings who followed the Star of David until they reach the manger of Bethlehem twelve days after the birth of Jesus. As everyone knows, they brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. So that's why in Spain, the gift of giving is celebrated on that day. Like children in other countries are excited at the thought of Santa Claus walking in the chimney with a bag full of toys, so that Spanish children look forward to the arrival of the Magi in the night, arriving on their asses and leave gifts for all niños.

In the style of true Spanish fiesta, this event is celebrated in carnival fashion with "The Cabalgata the cavalcade, January 5. The" Three Kings "made a spectacular entrance into the city or town on brightly decorated floats, throwing candy to the rows and rows of bright-eyed children. After the homecoming parade for the children's home and before bedtime, they fill their shoes with carrots and straw and put them out the window. This ritual is similar to the "glass of milk and cookies from the chimney for Santa, but the Spanish children are leaving food for donkeys kings.

The next morning, January 6, sees the excited children up early to open the gifts left by the "Three Kings" and the day when the whole family together for a meal and exchange gifts. Their meals include a "Rosca de Reyes, which is a fruitcake with large coins and other surprises hidden inside. So if you decided to spend Christmas in Spain, try to arrange for you to be there for the celebration of Three Kings, 5 and 6 January that it really is one of the best things to see.

And do not forget to bring home some of these wonderful delights of the Spanish Christmas season - as Turrón - nougat as we know - it comes in a variety of flavors, including almond, peanut and hazelnut. Mantecados Polvorones and are also very popular traditional Christmas cakes with almonds. Divine!

0 comments:

Post a Comment