In Spain, Christmas is celebrated from December 22nd-January 6th, with families exchanging gifts on January 5th from the Three Wise Men. Traditions include eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve, leaving shoes out for presents, and eating sweets like turrón and polvorones as well as dishes like roasted meats for Christmas meals. The document outlines the various celebrations and customs surrounding Christmas and New Year's in Spain.
2. From the 1st December, there are
Christmas lights and decorations in
the streets of Madrid,
but we don´t start our Christmas
Holidays until the 22nd or 23rd
of December.
3. People put up decorations at
home
A Nativity Scene A Christmas Tree
4. There are Christmas stalls in Madrid. Especially, at the Main Square in Madrid. You
can buy Christmas decorations, trees and small figures for the Navity Scene.
Lately some people go there
and buy and wear funny
wigs .
5. On Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day families
get together for dinner
and lunch.
Some people play typical instruments and
sing Christmas songs
6. At Christmas we usually eat...
roasted lamb, roasted
pork or turkey as the
main course. People
usually have seafood
as well .
7. In Spain there are tradional sweets for Christmas
TURRÓN made with almonds and
honey.
Soft “turrón” and hard “turrón” are the
typical kinds.
There are other kinds of turrón , too:
chocolate, egg, coconut....
We also eat polvorones
and mazapanes
8. On December 28th, we celebrate the
Day of the Innocent Saints
It is similar to April
Fools´Day.People
tolerates practical jokes
and general foolishness
9. ON NEW YEAR´S EVE people dress up and wear funny hats .
Many people go to “la Puerta del Sol” in the centre of Madrid
We always eat 12 grapes
at midnight. We do it
at the same time the
clock strikes 12 at
Puerta del Sol .
10. Traditionally Father
Christmas doesn´t bring
presents in Spain
Balthasar Gaspar Melchoir
The Three Wise Men bring
presents in Spain at Christmas
on the 5th January
11. On the 5th of January there is a
beautiful parade in the centre of Madrid
• The three kings send a message of peace to the kids in the
world
12. After the parade,people
eat”Roscón the Reyes” (Three-
king cake”) and drink hot
chocolate.
There is a small surprise
inside every cake.
If the surprise is in your
piece of cake... Pay
for the cake!
13. Everyone leaves their clean shoes under the tree.
They also leave something to drink and eat for the
three wise men and straw and water for the
camels.
Bad kids get pieces of coal
In the morning, good kids get presents in their shoes
14. We usually go back to school on the 8th of January.
We hope you have been good kids this year
We wish you all the best for 2011!
