CHRISTMAS DAY Spanish Traditions LOS REYES MAGOS

CHRISTMAS IN SPAIN.
There are some topics, which are; the “Belén”, the “Villancicos”, the “Lotería”, the
“Nochebuena” etc…
The “Belén” is the Nativity scene. You see “belenes” everywhere you go; at home, in shop
windows, churches etc…and they are very elaborated; with the “Reyes Magos” or the Three
Wise Men –the Epiphany—as well as animals like “El Burro” or donky, “ El Buey” or ox ,and
shepherds with sheep everywhere. There are even living “belenes”.
The “Villancico” is a Xmas carol, which lyrics are very simple.
The ”Lotería” or lottery is the day 22th December, when people are watching TV or listening to
the radio, expecting the big prize, or “El Gordo de Navidad”.
“Nochebuena” is Xmas Eve. All the family gather, celebrating a huge meal for dinner, and going
also to the Rooster mass or “Misa del Gallo”.
Xmas day or “Navidad” is the continuation of the night before. With another large meal ,when
we, the Spaniards , and nowadays, enjoy the gifts received from “Papá Noel” or Santa Claus in
the USA ,or Father Xmas. But when I was very young only the Three Wise Men carried the gifts
the night before 6th January.
“Nochevieja” is New Year´s Eve, and in Spain when clock strikes 12,and the bells sound 12
times ,we eat 12 grapes, one each toll of the bell.
There are more topics ,but it could be too much
David and MªJosé.
CHRISTMAS DAY
The 25th December is Christmas DAY or “Navidad”. All the family gather again to have an
enormous meal. All the people give the “Aguinaldo” to their children, which is a small
Christmas money bonus. Nowadays “Papa Noel” or Santa Claus comes with a lot of presents
for everyone. Other people prefere to hope the arrival of “Reyes Magos” or the Three Wise
Men. In the evening people go to the movies or to the fair with the children
Spanish Traditions
LOS REYES MAGOS
In Spain, during Christmas time, on the night between 5 and 6 January we celebrate a special holiday to
commemorate the so called “Epiphany”, that represents the diffusion all around the world of the great news of
the birth of the Son of God our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, through the trip of the “the Three Wise men, or the
three Kings or los Reyes Magos in Spanish language”
This Spanish tradition, which also applies in some Latin American countries, has its origins in a Bible story:
Saint Matthew tells about how the baby Jesus, shortly after his birth, received a visit from some magicians who
came from the East guided by a star, and how they adored him, as well as giving him gold, incense and myrrh.
Each of these presents has a special meaning: the gold represents his royal nature, the incense represents his
divine nature, and the myrrh (a hard resin from the myrrh tree) reflects his future suffering and death.
Tradition has established that they were three, one for each of the presents they brought Jesus.
But kids, at this time are not really concerned about Epiphany. For them is the time to receive presents if they
have been good girls and boys. It is the time to fill up the houses with toys and presents for both
children and even adults.
To do so, the children have to write a letter to the Three Wise men in order to let them know what the kids
want. And the night before (on the fifth), they put their shoes and some wine, liquor and sweets for the kings,
and milk for the camels, and go to bed very early because the kings do not like being seen when they are
delivering the presents, so that the real kings, the parents, can prepare everything quietly, and even enjoy
some Spanish Christmas sweets and or a glass of wine or liquor.
As an example, below you can find the text of a normal letter to the Three Wise men:
"Dear Three Kings:
As I have been very good and obedient this year, I have always done my homework and I haven't fought with
my brother, I would like you to bring me…".
The only condition to receive the presents is that they must have been good during the year; otherwise they
will find coal (of the sweet variety) when they wake up in the morning (the sixth).
The Three Wise men are named Melchor, Caspar and Balthasar. Melchor is the oldest one. He has white hair
and a long white beard. Gaspar is blond, he also sports a beard, although it is not as long, and he is somewhat
younger. Finally, Balthasar is the youngest of the three, he is black and doesn't have the long beard that his
fellow kings have.
Their arrival is announced on the evening of the 5th by the "cabalgata", the Three Kings' parade, during which
they ride across cities in their carriages greeting children and giving out sweets. Another thing that cannot be
missing from the día de Reyes (the Day of the Three Kings, on 6 January) is the roscón, a typical pastry
inside of which a present is found (an image, a keyring…). The person who finds the present pays for the
roscón.
Typically, the roscón is eaten in the family house, when its members go to pick up the presents that the Three
Kings have left in their house. This is the great thing about the Three Kings, that not only do they leave
presents in your very home, but they also leave something in the house for your close relatives. The only
setback is that there are only two or three days left to enjoy the presents before having to go back to school.
Over the last few years, Santa Claus has also been visiting Spain. Although he is a tough competitor for the
Three Kings, this Spanish tradition continues to be in good health. What has happened is that there are now
two sets of presents: Father Christmas comes first, and the Three Kings come later.
The Three Kings adoring the baby Jesus
Ana Pons
Christmas in Spain
The 24th and 25th of December in Spain we celebrate Christmas
In these days, all the families have a dinner toghether (24th) and a lunch (25th)
The 31 of December it is celebrated New years Eve, in this evening people eat grapes at
twuelve o¨clock
The first of January, it is New Year Day.
The sixth of January, it is celebrated the Three Wise Men, in this day
the children receive alot of presents
Encarna
Casa Valenciana de Caridad.
People queueing to be fed.
About
Christmas
Gastronomy
–
It
is
well
known
that
all
over
the
world
there
are
many
different
ways
to
celebrate
Christmas.
Family,
friends,
workmates
and
people
in
general
go
out
for
dinner
or
lunch.
Media
remember
us
that
gifts,
meals,
toys
and
shopping
make
Christmas;
above
all
shopping…
but
is
it
all
true?
Of
course,
I
love
to
see
people
happy.
I
love
Christmas
and
like
meals.
Certainly
a
big
table
with
a
nice‐looking
tablecloth,
pretty
crockery,
candles,
children
and
songs
make
up
Christmas
time
atmosphere.
In
most
countries
and
cultures,
the
gastronomic
traditions
and
the
careful
details
are
very
important
at
the
time
to
prepare
the
table
for
a
great
celebration;
but
nowadays
in
Spain,
with
near
four
millions
people
unemployed
I
wonder
if
a
different
Christmas
might
be
possible.
I
wonder
too,
if
it
might
be
a
good
idea
to
propose
to
the
family,
to
leave
an
unoccupied
chair
at
the
table
and
to
give
the
cost
of
that
dinner
for
charity
It
should
be
fantastic
to
be
able
to
involve
children
in
this
aim.
It
could
be
a
nice
way
to
discover
a
new
Christmas
meaning…
Unemployed people.
I
don´t
know
if
this
idea
is
really
the
product
of
my
mind
or
only
a
beautiful
dream…
Anyway…
best
wishes
for
all
of
you
and
for
your
dinner
or
lunch
celebrations.
Enjoy
them
and
enjoy
Christmas
!
From
Valencia
–Spain‐
Jesús
Muñoz
Jiménez
CHRISTMAS
STARTERS
On
Christmas
Day
a
series
of
varied
starters
are
served
before
the
main
dishes.
They
may
vary
depending
on
the
region
of
Spain.
In
Valencia,
a
big
tray
of
king
prawns
is
served
on
most
tables.
KING
PRAWNS
OYSTERS
Another
starter
which
is
sometimes
enjoyed
on
Christmas
Day
is
oysters.
JAMÓN
IBÉRICO
Apart
from
seafood,
jamón
ibérico
is
a
must
on
this
occasion.
Jamón
ibérico
is
similar
to
cured
Spanish
ham,
but
it
comes
from
pigs
which
have
been
raised
in
the
fields
of
Extremadura,
the
western
region
of
Spain,
and
have
always
been
fed
with
acorns.
FUET
Fuet
is
a
thin
spicy
sausage
from
Catalonia,
in
the
northeast
of
Spain.
It
is
similar
to
salchichón,
but
tastier
and
not
so
hot
PERICANA
From
Alcoi,
(Alicante,
Region
of
Valencia)
pericana
is
as
delicious
as
difficult
to
classify.
It
is
made
with
sun‐dried
red
peppers,
roast
dried
and
salted
cod‐fish,
cloves
of
garlic
and
olive
oil.
FERNANDO
LATORRE
NUÉVALOS
CHRISTMAS
TABLE
TRADITIONS
Christmas
is
a
very
traditional
festivity
and
it
is
celebrated
in
a
special
way.
It
is
fundamentally
a
family
festivity.
The
different
members
of
the
family
these
days
gather,
even
those
who
are
far
away
all
year
round.
This
family
gatherings
go
on
till
6th
of
January,
the
Three
Wise
Men
Day.
There
are
about
five
moments
which
are
especially
celebrated,
when
we
always
eat
much
and
varied
traditional
food.
Without
doubt,
Christmas
Eve
is
the
best
time
of
Christmas.
The
dinner
is
special
and
it
is
prepared
with
loving
care.
The
dinner
table
is
very
carefully
decorated:
a
nice
tablecloth,
the
best
crockery,
the
best
cutlery
set,
and
the
best
glasses;
besides,
flowers
and
candles
are
laid
among
glasses
and
dishes.
We
cook
traditional
foods
according
to
the
place:
roast
turkey,
roast
lamb
and
roast
suckling
pig
are
typical.
Also
seafood
and
fish
are
eaten
that
night.
The
dinner
is
accompanied
with
drinks,
desserts
and
cava
wine.
Christmas
Day
is
also
a
family
food
moment.
In
many
places
there
ara
typical
foods.
In
Valencia
la
olla
is
traditional;
it
is
a
stew
that
needs
a
big
container
because
this
food
takes
several
ingredients:
different
kinds
of
meat,
vegetables,
etc..
Normally
it
is
cooked
the
previous
day,
because
on
Christmas
Day
the
family
wake
up
late;
the
previous
night
the
family
go
to
bed
late
because
much
time
is
devoted
to
conversation,
carol
singing,
games,
etc…
And
nobody
gets
up
early
on
Christmas
Day.
The
night
of
31st
is
another
important
moment,
but
some
families
don’t
get
together
for
dinner,
because
when
it’s
twelve
o´clock
the
New
Year
Festivity
begins.
Some
people
have
dinner
in
the
same
place
they
will
celebrate
the
midnight
festivity.
Eating
twelve
grapes
with
the
twelve
strokes
at
midnight
is
typical
that
night.
It’s
a
very
popular
and
magical
.
Immediatly
we
drink
a
glass
of
cava
wine,
make
a
toast
and
and
wish
each
other
a
happy
New
Year.
On
New
Year’s
Day
we
don’t
get
up
early
either,
but
we
eat
with
the
family
as
well.
Meat,
fish,
desserts
and
drinks
still
on
the
table.
The
festivity
finishes
on
January
6th,
the
Three
Wise
Men
Day.
For
us
it
is
the
day
when
all
the
people
get
a
present,
especially
children.
Children
are
sent
to
bed
very
early,
because
if
they
are
seen
by
the
Three
Wise
Men
no
present
will
be
left
for
them.
All
the
presents
are
brought
by
the
Three
Wise
Men,
who
came
from
the
East
riding
their
camels
during
the
night,
and
entered
your
home
to
leave
the
gifts
all
scattered
around
while
everyboy
was
still
asleep.
After
the
family
lunch
we
have
the
dessert:
the
roscón,
a
large
ring‐shaped
cake
with
cream
or
chocolate
truffle
filling.
It´s
funny
because
the
roscón
brings
a
surprise
inside:
one
good,
one
bad.
The
bad
one
is
a
broad
bean,
the
good
one
is
a
present.
The
person
who
happens
to
eat
or
find
in
his/her
portion
of
cake
the
broad
bean
will
pay
for
the
roscón
next
year.
The
one
who
gets
the
present
will
be
crowned
king/queen.
And
after
having
put
some
weight
on,
Christmas
is
over
until
the
next
year.
Happy
Christmas!
TRINIDAD
PERIS
VIÑÉ
Traditional Spanish sweets and drinks during Christmas
TURRÓN – It is a sweet pastry obtained from cooking honey and sugar and added
with almonds. The shape is rectangular, like a brick. There are several types but the
most traditional are the ‘turrón duro’ (hard turrón) or ‘turrón de Alicante’ and the
‘turrón blando’ (soft turrón) or ‘turrón de Jijona’.
MAZAPÁN – It is a pastry handmade from almonds, honey and sugar and cooked in
the oven. The most famous is the ‘Toledo mazapán’.
MANTECADOS Y POLVORONES – The ingredients of the Mantecados are toasted
flour, lard and sugar, ground cinnamon, grated lemon rind and a bit of ‘eau-de-vie’. The
most famous are ones from Estepa (Málaga). One kind of ’mantecado’ are ‘polvorones’.
OTHERS SWEETS:
 PELADILLAS (from Alcoy, Alicante, or Casinos, Valencia). They are glazed
almonds.
 PASTEL DE BONIATO: Sweet potato cake
 CASCA: marzipan cake filled with sweet filling made from egg yolk and sugar
or filled with sweet potato.
 PAN DE CÁDIZ: marzipan filled with almonds, sugar and glazed squash or
glazed fruits.
DRINKS
CAVA: It is a sparkling wine very similar to French champagne elaborated mainly
in Cataluña but also in Requena (Valencia), Haro (La Rioja), Aranda de Duero
(Castilla y León) and other places in Extremadura and Aragón.
VINO MOSCATEL: It is a natural sweet wine elaborated with the sweet grape
named ‘moscatel’.
SERGIO ESPINOSA & JOSÉ VICENTE BUSÓ
OVEN ROASTED LAMB
Roast
lamb
is
a
traditional
dish
in
Spanish
homes
to
celebrate
Christmas
It
is
very
important
to
choose
the
lamb
to
be
cooked.
Suckling
lamb
meat
is
white
and
tender
as
it
is
an
animal
about
25
or
30
days
old.
So
this
dish
is
delicious
and
just
needs
a
good
product,
with
no
spices
that
"hide"
the
taste.
A
sucking
lamb
can
weigh
6
or
7
kilos,
so
about
2
quarters
weigh
3
kilos
and
a
half.
We
will
cook,
leg,
ribs
and
half
a
head
or
offal
according
to
consumer’s
taste.
When
we
go
to
buy
lamb
we
should
ask
the
butcher
to
practice
a
few
cuts
into
his
back,
because
when
roasted
this
will
make
it
tastier.
Ingredients
for
4
people:
Lamb
Lard
Water
Sal
Mashed:
3
Garlic
Pinch
of
salt
Some
vinegar
Preparation:
At
home,
we
brush
the
skin
with
a
little
lard
or
with
olive
oil,
and
season.
What
we
seek
is
that
the
skin
becomes
crusty
We
put
the
quarter
and
half
a
head
(if
you
want),
in
an
oval
earthenware
dish
or
oven
tray.
We
add
a
glass
of
water.
We
introduce
it
into
the
oven,
previously
heated
to
180
degrees,
and
a
half
hour
approximately.
Halfway
through
roasting,
prepare
the
mashed
ingredients
in
a
mortar
with
the
garlic
cloves,
the
pinch
of
salt
and
a
little
vinegar.
We
take
the
pan
out
from
the
oven,
we
turn
the
lamb
over,
we
take
a
little
stock
in
the
mortar,
stir
and
spread
it
over
the
lamb.
If
necessary,
add
a
little
more
water
to
the
roasting.
Put
the
tray
back
into
the
oven
and
let
it
some
more
time.
Eventually
the
meat
must
be
roasted
on
the
outside
and
very
juicy
on
the
inside
with
sauce
on
the
bottom
of
the
tray.
With
the
roast
lamb,
a
simple
salad
of
lettuce,
tomato
and
onion
will
make
you
enjoy
delicious
meat
in
all
its
glory.
Bon
appétit!
MANUEL
LÓPEZ
TURÉGANO