Spanish holiday

1. SpaniSh
ChriStmaS
CuStomS
D. Grey: LowDham C of e SChooL

2. Spanish people celebrate Christmas with many of the usual
festivities, presents, trees, parties and time spent
with their families.
However there are several Christmas celebrations, which are
unique to the Spanish culture.
Read on to find out more about
• Hogueras
• La Misa Del Gallo
• Pavo Tufado de Navidad
• Turron
• El Dia de Reyes
• Nacimientos
• Vocabulary of Christmas

3. Hogueras
This tradition comes from a time before Christmas itself and
takes place on the 21st December.
Hogueras means bonfires
It was originally a pagan ritual to mark
The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of
the year, and the arrival of winter.
Hogueras involves people jumping
over lighted fires in the hope that it
would protect them from illness
over the coming months which would
have proved a difficult time for them.
This fire-jumping can be seen mainly in Granada and Jaen.

4. La Misa Del Gallo
Christmas Eve is called
Nochebuena meaning the
Good Night.
This traditional church service takes
place on Christmas Eve when family
celebrations are interrupted at
midnight by the ringing of church
bells calling the people to the
Mass of the Rooster –
La Misa Del Gallo
The service gets its name because it is said that the only time
when a Rooster crowed at midnight was on the day
that Jesus was born.
One of the most beautiful services is held at the monastery of
Montserrat, high in the mountain near Barcelona, the highlight
of which is the amazing singing by the boys’ choir.

5. Pavo Tufado de Navidad
White truffles are a delicacy.
They are like mushrooms but
they grow underground and
are very expensive.
In Spain, Christmas dinner is eaten
late on Christmas Eve before the
family attends mass. The most
important part of the meal is a
turkey stuffed with truffles
(pavo trufado de navidad).
After dinner the family gather
around the Christmas tree and sings
traditional carols.
Celebrations go on late into the night & an old Spanish verse says
Esta noche es Noche-Buena, y no es noche de dormir.
This is the good-night, therefore it is not meant for sleep.

6. Turron
Turron de Jijona
•250 gms sugar
•250 grams white honey
•250 grams toasted almonds
•250 grams toasted hazelnuts
•5 egg whites
•1 dessertspoon cinnamon
•Crush the nuts in the mortar until they become a
smooth paste
•Beat the eggs whites stiffly and then add them to
the paste
•Put the honey and sugar in a saucepan and bring
to the boil
•Add the paste to the honey mixture
•Mix constantly with a wooden spatula for ten
minutes
•Remove from the heat, put into wooden moulds
lined with rice paper
•Leave to cool and then sprinkle with cinnamon
Turron is a nougat & although it is
available all year, it is a traditional
Christmas treat & many different
types are available.
For example turron de
Almendra (almond), turron de
Cacauetes (peanut) and turron
de Avellana (roasted hazelnut)
Two towns famous for their turron
are Alicante, which produces a
hard turron and Jijona, which
makes a soft turron.

7. El Día de Reyes
The three kings
appear all over Spain
in the run up to
Christmas in hospitals
and orphanages etc. It
is believed that
Balthazar is the king
who brings the gifts.
On the 5th
of January, the Eve of
Epiphany, there are parades in most
towns marking the arrival of the three
kings, who are believed to have passed
through Spain on their way to see baby
Jesus. The Three Kings ride on floats
throwing candy to the children.
The children place shoes, filled with straw,
carrots and barley for the donkeys, on their
windowsills and hope that when they wake
on el Día de Reyes (The Day of the Kings)
the food will have been replaced by gifts.
Some say that Santa Claus takes presents away
from children who are naughty!

8. Another name for a
nativity scene is Belén,
which is the Spanish for
Bethleham, the place
where Jesus was born.
Nacimiento
The tradition of Nacimientos involves
making and decorating complicated
nativity scenes.
Many scenes contain a stream or brook
and animals such as pigs, sheep,
donkeys and possible a bull!
Many homes has nacimientos and
towns have very elaborate displays
in the centre of town.
Some towns show the scenes leading up to the birth of Jesus
and others use real actors. One town in Spain shows
25 different scenes and uses 180 actors. As a results, these
nacimientos have become tourist attractions all over Spain.

9. Christmas Vocabulary
¡Feliz Navidad! - Merry Christmas!
¡Felices Fiestas! - Seasons Greetings!
árbol de Navidad - Christmas tree
regalo de Navidad - Christmas present
adornos de Navidad - Christmas decorations
una corona de Navidad - Christmas wreath
la comida del día de Navidad - Christmas dinner
un tarjeta de Navidad, un crismas - a Christmas card
un villancico - Christmas carol
Baltasar, Gaspar, Melchor - Balthasar, Gaspar, Mechior (3 wise men/3
kings)
los Reyes Magos - The three kings, three wise men
el muérdago - mistletoe
el acebo - holly
el espumillón - tinsel
un auto de Navidad - a nativity play
pastores - shepherds
los ángeles - angels
un burro - donkey
Papá Noel - Santa Claus
¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo! - Merry Christmas and a
Happy/Prosperous New Year!

10. Christmas Vocabulary
¡Feliz Navidad! - Merry Christmas!
¡Felices Fiestas! - Seasons Greetings!
árbol de Navidad - Christmas tree
regalo de Navidad - Christmas present
adornos de Navidad - Christmas decorations
una corona de Navidad - Christmas wreath
la comida del día de Navidad - Christmas dinner
un tarjeta de Navidad, un crismas - a Christmas card
un villancico - Christmas carol
Baltasar, Gaspar, Melchor - Balthasar, Gaspar, Mechior (3 wise men/3
kings)
los Reyes Magos - The three kings, three wise men
el muérdago - mistletoe
el acebo - holly
el espumillón - tinsel
un auto de Navidad - a nativity play
pastores - shepherds
los ángeles - angels
un burro - donkey
Papá Noel - Santa Claus
¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo! - Merry Christmas and a
Happy/Prosperous New Year!