As Christmas approaches once again, the streets and alleys of Spain begin to fill with the atmosphere of the holiday as soon as December arrives. Christmas trees adorned with colorful lights and ornaments, friendly Santa Clauses, beautifully wrapped gifts, and cheerful Christmas carols all highlight people's anticipation for the holiday. How do the passionate and romantic Spanish people celebrate Christmas? Friends who have immigrated to Spain, come along with our editor to take a look!
The first date not to be missed is December 22nd. This is the day of the Christmas Lottery draw, in which almost every Spaniard participates. According to official statistics, one in every three Spaniards buys a ticket for what is considered one of the largest lotteries in the world, which is drawn every year on December 22nd. Therefore, the Christmas atmosphere in Spain truly begins on this day; when the draw takes place, no one is in the mood to work because the odds of winning are quite high. Whenever the draw happens, people always gather excitedly in the streets to celebrate.
Next come the days that excite the whole nation: Christmas Eve on December 24th and Christmas Day on December 25th. Usually, on these two days, all family members gather to share lunch and dinner, cooking traditional Spanish dishes such as lamb, hard bread, marzipan, polvorones, and other Christmas sweets. Even if you cannot be a guest in a local home, you can taste these traditional dishes in most hotels and restaurants, allowing you to fully explore the mouth-watering cuisine. If you are interested, you can also attend the Midnight Mass, which is popular among Catholics, to celebrate the birth of Jesus together.
Of course, the most entertaining day is December 28th, the "Day of the Holy Innocents." On this day, people can play pranks on others without restraint, making it the "April Fool's Day of December." The most pleasant thing to do on this day is to browse for all kinds of novel items at street markets like the Plaza Mayor in Madrid. On the New Year's Eve party on December 31st, after this series of festivities, people bid farewell to the passing year.
Before attending the New Year's Eve party, remember to eat 12 grapes. According to Spanish tradition, everyone must eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, eating one grape for each chime of the clock. If you can successfully eat all 12 grapes, you will be blessed by the god of luck in the coming year. If you don't want to watch the live New Year's Eve broadcast at home, why not head to the clock tower square in the town center to experience an even more wonderful time? The most iconic experience is to join tens of thousands of people at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid to welcome the new year with the chimes. After the New Year's celebration, you can walk into any bar and party with the people there until dawn.
Traditionally, Christmas in Spain is a religious holiday centered around the story of the birth of Christ. For example, the biblical story mentions that the Three Wise Men followed the guidance of a star to find the newborn Jesus on January 6th, and each prepared a gift for him. Therefore, children in Spain do not receive gifts on December 25th, but on January 6th. So, children leave a shoe outside the house on the night of January 5th, waiting for a surprise the next day; however, for those children who have not been well-behaved over the past year, the Three Wise Men usually leave a piece of coal. On the afternoon of the 6th, parades are held in cities, where people dressed as the Three Wise Men—Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar—lead attendants, camels, and various strange and exotic characters through the streets and alleys of every Spanish city, delivering gifts and toys to children from house to house. The Christmas parade held in Alcoi, in the oldest province of Alicante, is very spectacular and traditional.
However, with the process of globalization, traditional Spanish culture has also been deeply influenced by American culture, and we can also see holiday elements in major Spanish cities that differ from tradition, such as Santa Claus and Christmas trees. Some children even ask their parents for gifts on both December 25th and January 6th.
Are you tempted by so many interesting activities? Spend this Christmas in Spain!