We all know how Christmas is in UK, it sometimes feels like a marathon: shopping, Christmas dinners, Christmas drinks, lights, buzzing time of the year.
And some places even put the Christmas tree up in August so people start booking their events! By September/October the decorations start to go up, and definitely the day after Halloween is Christmas all of the sudden. I remember once in the office a lady asked me if I had started with my Christmas shopping, as it was only 87 days left...
And just as suddenly, you have not even finished eating your turkey on Christmas day, and it is all gone. On 26th of December you cannot see a single decoration anywhere.
Well, to say this in a just a few words, we think you guys are nuts! And you are in for a bit of a shock when you see how we do things in Spain.
For starters, the decorations go up after 8th of December, which is the last long bank holiday of the year before Christmas. You might see some shops putting some decorations at the end of November or beginning of December, but this raises people's eyebrows as we think they are just trying to make money.
Christmas lights in big cities normally go up last weekend of November or first one of December. As part of the Christmas decorations we recreate Bethlehem with Joseph, Virgin Mary, baby Jesus, the sheperds, and all the animals, put up a Christmas tree, and figures of Santa and the 3 Wise Men get all in the mix.
But Christmas start officially on 22nd of December, with the National Christmas lottery, which is a tradition that deserves a post on its own merits, and it lasts until 6th of January when the 3 Wise Men bring presents to the children.
The whole Christmas period is a family event. We all travel to a relative's house, where about 20 people spend a few days together.
We have a big family dinner on Christmas Eve, and a big family lunch on Christmas day. Some families have started now to give some present away on 25th, mainly if they are not going to see the kids on Reyes (6th January)
We do not celebrate Boxing Day, it doesn't exist in Spain.
On New Year's Eve we have another family dinner, and at 12 am at night we all eat 12 grapes (again, this deserves its own post). Once we have all kissed and hug our relatives is when we go out, which is normally about 1-2 am.
On New Year's Day we have yet another big family lunch, and it doesn't matter if you only want to sleep or to throw up, the lunch is still on.
We then arrive to 5th of January, the day before the 3 Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos) bring the presents. That day each little town and big city in the country welcomes the 3 Wise Men, and they can be everywhere at once because they are magical, of course. That evening there is a big parade in each town/city, where tones of sweets are thrown (literally at your face), and get all children totally excited about the following day.
On the morning on the 6th the kids get up to find the living room full of presents, and they get the rest of the day to enjoy them and to show them to their friends. The parks are full of proud children with new toys.
Life goes back to normal on 7th January. By then you are exhausted, full up, and needing holidays again!
Enjoy your Spanish Christmas!
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