How is “la Navidad” celebrated in Spain?

• La Navidad is a celebration with a Catholic origin. We conmemorate Jesus Christ birth.

• In Spain, this is represented in a belén.

• Some years ago, Spain also adopted this foreign tradition that we call “el árbol de Navidad”.

• Though some homes do not have “belén” anymore because of its religious meaning, you will find “árbol de Navidad” everywhere in Spain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hit79gsNNPk

• “El tronc de Nadal” or “cagatió” is an exclusively Catalan tradition.

• Usually kids hit with a stick a log with a little face and two legs that has been dressed up with a “barretina”, while they sing a special song, in order to get some little presents or candies.

• In Spain, Christmas' holidays last two weeks.

• The 24th by nights we celebrate “la Noche Buena”, with a dinner with our family.

• The 25th is exactly “el día de Navidad”.• We celebrate it having lunch (for hours) with our family.• We will usually eat expensive food (for example: fish and

seafood) or those dishes that take very long time to cook.

• December 26th is a day-off only in Catalunya.• It is “el día de Sant Esteve”.• The traditional lunch will consist of “los

canelones”. It is not true anymore, but in the past we ate them because we fill them with the food that we couldn't finish the previous day.

• December 28th is not a day-off, but still it is a very special day.

• We celebrate “el Día de los Santos Inocentes”.• This day jokes are allowed, and even expected from

everybody.• The most traditional joke is named “monigote”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odVjfrq0dwI&feature=related

• December 31st is “la Noche Vieja”.• We celebrate it having dinner with our friends or family.• At 12 o'clock, everybody in Spain is in front of TV or a church to see

“las Campanadas”.• What we do then is eating one grape with every peal (or campanada). If

you are able to finish them all, you will be lucky during the year that just begins.

• After usually people go to parties to dance. We usually use some little complements to be disguised, such as eye mask and hat made of paper.

• January 1st is “el Día de Año Nuevo”.• It is usually a strange day-off, because it is closed

everywhere and there is nobody in the streets.• Actually it is a kind of “National Hangover Day”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jLA3Y66FlE

• January 5th by night is “la Noche de Reyes”.• There are parades in every single city and town all over Spain.• The following morning all Spanish children will find their presents in

balconies or under their “árbol de Navidad”.• They know what do you want because you usually send them previously

a letter telling them. • If the child didn't have a good behaviour during the year, they will offer

sweet charcoal as a present.• “Los Reyes Magos” are the Spanish equivalent to “Papá Noel”.• Let me tell you a secret: they don't exist. It is our parents instead...

El Roscón de Reyes

• The following day (January 6th) we celebrate “el Día de Reyes”.

• It is still a day-off, so all Spanish children can play with their new toys for the whole day.

• That day, for lunch, we eat a special dessert called “Roscón de Reyes”.

• In side, mixed with the cream, there are two surprises: a kind of bean called “haba” and a little ceramic-made king. According to the tradition, who finds the second one, is the king of the party, who finds the first, will have to pay the cake.

There are other desserts that we eat • during Navidad holidays:1) los turrones2) los polvorones3) los barquillos4) el mazapán

• There is only one remaining thing about la Navidad, and it is “los villancicos”, the traditional Navidad songs.

• In Spanish there are almost 100! You can here one in here: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=-K8WAXEPlz8&feature=related

• Do you celebrate Christmas in your countries? If not, what would be the most important festivity instead?

• Some people like these big festivities, some other don't. What do you think about them?