How to celebrate Christmas in Spain?

First off, celebrating ‘Christmas’ in Spain is a rather new occurrence.  Who are these atheistic people, you ask?  Not exactly.

The day that Americans celebrate Christmas (December 25^th) – children going to bed early, leaving cookies and milk for Santa, waking up early, running downstairs to unwrap presents – is actually celebrated in Spain on January 6^th.  In Spain, this day is called Dia de los Reyes Magos (Day of the Wise Kings).  The Spanish typically give and receive presents on the day the three wise men were believed to have arrived in Bethlehem with their gifts for baby Jesus.  This actually makes a lot of sense.

We are normally frowned upon whenever we are forced to admit we don’t know the names of the three kings – we have since learned and subsequently memorized them for fear of further humiliation -- Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.  It's surprisingly embarrassing to be laughed at by the 'all-knowing' 10 year-old Spanish child.  Next time you find yourself in Spain around Christmas time, impress a Spaniard by memorizing these three names!  While we would admit that we didn’t know the names of the Three Wise Men, in desperation we would attempt to prove our worth by telling them we could quickly recite the names of all 9 reindeer…. I don’t think they were impressed.

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen ... and the most famous reindeer of allllll ... Rudolph!

 

Christmas celebration Spanish style is celebrated with Noche Buena (Great Night) on December 24^th – the biggest of all feasts, where families travel from all over the country to join family in the most mammoth of all dinners.  Typically, December 25^th is a day of relaxing.  With a dose of Western TV and movies, Spanish families are only in the last 3 years beginning to give presents on this day.  Main reason?  So kids have more time to play with their toys before returning to school.  Thank you Home Alone?

The next big event is Noche Vieja (Old Night), this is another dinner on December 31^st where usually the immediate family will get together for another large dinner.  This works perfectly for celebrating New Years, since dinner in Spain doesn’t typically start until 10pm.  After dinner and before midnight, it’s imperative that the family come prepared with grapes … yes grapes.  Unless you want bad luck for the next year, at the stroke of midnight, you will find yourself munching down on 12 grapes, but please, not all at once.  At midnight, every Spaniard that is not in the Plaza del Sol (the Time’s Square of Madrid), has their television tuned in to watch and listen to the ringing of bells.  At midnight, the ringing of bells begin, it’s a testament to your concentration to keep up.  You are supposed to eat one grape, each time the bell is rung -- a total of 12 times.  However, these aren’t the American grapes where you can simply chew .  The grapes in Spain are huge, much larger than we are used to and come with seeds.   Each individual has their own strategy for removing the seeds and eating their grapes.  To each their own, but please make sure you finish your twelfth and final grape by the last bell ring.

Seductive eating, optional.

 Pretty sure this 'google image' is from the 90's, but whatever.

Finally, on the day before the Three Kings arrive (which is always January 5^th), there is always a large parade called cabalgata.  Through the streets of Spain, arrive three, somewhat scary looking ‘kings’.  They travel to all the houses in Spain that night, bringing their gifts.  It’s important for children to leave out a glass of water for the camels, lest they get thirst and can't continue … sound familiar?

Hello, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.