How is Christmas celebrated in Spain...?
In Spain, Christmas is celebrated twice: first on Christmas Eve in December, and the second time, according to Catholic tradition, on Three Kings Day.
Spanish Christmas customs are based on Catholic traditions and carry with them many peculiarities. This makes Christmas in Spain an unforgettable experience.
How they celebrate Christmas in Spain - an unusual start to the holidays
The unofficial start of Christmas in Spain is 22 December, when the results of the Lotería de Navidad, the Christmas Lottery, are announced. It has been held since 1763 and is considered the greatest game of luck of all time.
It is announced by primary school children in Madrid and the live broadcast brings the whole country to the screens. The top prize is El Gordo, which will bring the winner €4 million.
How they celebrate Christmas in Spain - who brings gifts
Traditionally, the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos) bring gifts in Spain. However, due to the influence of Anglo-Saxon culture (mainly through films and advertising), the Spanish have created an equivalent of Santa Claus called Papa Noel.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve (Nochebuena), December 24, is more than with presents, associated with a large family gathering and a great feast. The Spanish festive dinner lasts from around 8pm until midnight, when some families, according to Catholic tradition, go to the midnight Misa del Gallo (Rooster Mass). This is because Christians believe it was a rooster who first announced the birth of Jesus.
Recently, young people have been going downtown after family dinners to parties similar to those held on New Year's Eve.
Christmas at Three Kings
The event on which gifts are traditionally given out in Spain is the 5th of January. Children rush to the town square to see the Three Kings parade. This is called the Cabalgata de los Reyes (Ride of the Kings) and the 'kings' in masks really do arrive, throwing sweets and small gifts from the saddle of their horses.
According to tradition, the Three Kings ride camels from house to house at night and leave presents for the children in prepared shoes. In the evening, the children prepare water for the camels in front of the door or on the balcony, and they stay up late into the night, wondering if they will see the Three Kings. Most of the time they don't, so they go to bed and in the morning when they get up they find presents (from their parents) in their shoes.
Two Christmases in Spain
But over time, and influenced by American films and advertising, Spain has begun to celebrate Christmas twice - children also receive presents on the morning of 25 December, although the more valuable ones wait until the Three Kings Day.
Christmas food
Spaniards don't have one typical Christmas meal. On Christmas Eve, the favourite dish of family members is usually prepared. Some festive dishes are turkey, roast ham, lamb and pork. And of course there are sweets - typical are turrón (reminiscent of chalwa or Turkish honey), marzipan figurines, or lard candy with almonds and cinnamon, polvorones.
On Three Kings' Day, the traditional Roscón de los Reyes, which resembles a Christmas cake but is knitted into a circle and decorated with candied fruit, figs and almonds, is prepared. A figure of the king and a broad bean are baked into the dough. According to legend, whoever stumbles across the figurine while eating becomes king, and whoever finds the bean pays the roscoon. The traditional festive drink is cava, a white sparkling wine.
Day of the Innocents
On 28 December, the Day of the Holy Virgin is celebrated in Spain (and many other Spanish-speaking countries). It's similar to our April Fool's Day - false news is proclaimed on the radio and jokes at the expense of celebrities are broadcast on TV.
On this day, the Día de locos (Day of the Fools) is held in various cities of Valencia. There are balls and celebrations in tattered costumes, and many Spanish towns have their own special traditions, some based on ancient pagan traditions, others Christian.
Source : jenprocestovatele.cz