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By Grandes Villas SL

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avatar Grandes Villas SL 3 years ago

Christmas traditions in Spain

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Dear guest, in this post I will explain some typical Spanish Christmas traditions.

The villancicos (Christmas songs)
It is a musical genre that refers to Christmas and is sung during these dates. The lyrics are accompanied by the sound of the tambourine and the zambomba, typical instruments used for this type of song.

Making pestiños
A tradition of Christmas is to make pestiños. They are typical sweets of this date, made with flour, orange, different spices, which are fried and go through syrup. They are usually eaten as a dessert or during a snack and are great when accompanied with sweet wine or anís.

The portal de Belén
In Spanish houses for these dates, in addition to decorating the Christmas tree, to decorate it is usually put a nativity scene (portal de belén) that represents the birth of Christ through clay, ceramic or wood figurines.
 The classic manger or portal consists of Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, the Child, the mule, the ox, the Archangel Saint Gabriel and the Three Wise Men (Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar). However, in addition to being a religious tradition, it is also rural in nature and the shepherds are the protagonists of this staging that decorates the houses of Catholic tradition.

Sit with the family and listen to the King's message
It is true that many people do not listen to it, but on many Spanish televisions the message of the King is put on before Christmas Eve dinner and people notice what photo he will have in the background, what his message will be, etc. All the news the next day comment on it in all kinds of details.

Go to mass on December 24 at 12 pm after Christmas Eve dinner
Christmas Eve is the day / night that families gather for dinner. After dinner, there are families - not all - who go to church to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. The mass is known as "misa del Gallo". Meanwhile, Spanish television broadcasts Masses celebrated in different cities around the world, with the Mass celebrated in St. Peter's of the Vatican being the most anticipated or seen on television since it is the Pope who offers it.

Eat turrón
Turrón is eaten during Christmas: it is a rich sweet that is made of honey and almonds. It's delicious!
Nowadays there are many variants of turrón, for example you can find it with fruits, chocolate, and even egg yolks.
It is normally served on a tray to offer to family after dinner on New Year's Eve but is also eaten during the rest of the festive period. It is an essential aspect to complete the Christmas atmosphere here in Spain.

Lotería de Navidad
This is one of the oldest draws in Europe. If you want more information, I leave you the link on the post we published last week:
https://www.grandesvillas.com/es/post/loteria-de-navidad-a-draw-with-a-lot-of-history

Eat 12 grapes at the end of the year (New Year's Eve)
People gather in their homes and when the 12 o'clock clock strikes, they eat a grape for every second. The event is also widely monitored on the main national television channels in Puerta del Sol in Madrid. If you want more information, I leave you the link on the post that was published the previous week:
https://www.grandesvillas.com/es/post/why-do-spanish-people-eat-12-grapes-in-new-years-eve

The Roscón de Reyes Magos
The Roscón de Reyes is the typical sweet for breakfast or lunch on January 6, the feast of the Three Kings. It is ring-shaped and is made with thin dough, filled with cream, marzipan, truffle or some similar filling and is decorated with pieces of candied or candied fruits of various colors, usually red and green. The red and green candied fruits symbolize the rubies and emeralds that are supposed to have worshiped the mantles of the three Wise Men.
Inside the roscón there is a "surprise", generally it is an object or a figurine ("lucky doll") attractive to children. Whoever finds the "surprise" is crowned "king of the house."

The Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos
It is a highly anticipated event for the little ones. It is a special celebration in which the Three Wise Men appear in the streets of the main Spanish cities, throwing candies at the little ones. If you want more information, a post about The Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos was also published:
https://www.grandesvillas.com/es/post/the-cabalgata-de-los-reyes-magos

Dear guest, if you are in one of our houses during Christmas, I hope you can do some of the traditions mentioned in this post. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hablan de nosotros