August 11, 2016 4:26 pm Zurich - Switzerland, Madrid, Barcelona - Spain, Munich - Germany January 2014
It was the first New Year, which we met not at home, not in Russia and not at the festive table. The trip turned out to be active: 3 countries, 4 cities and 6 flights.
It all started on December 28 with a morning and very early flight from Moscow to Munich. In Munich, we had no more than 6 hours for a walk. Big praise for the German railway transport, everything is very simple - you buy tickets at the machine, it’s understandable, you can choose the language quickly, and most importantly, clearly on schedule, which is very important when viewing the city when you have a long flight connection. having arrived by S-Bahn to the city center, we found ourselves on the central square of the city - Marienplatz, dark, not crowded and dismantling all the Christmas beauty. About +7 degrees and very quiet. The town turned out to be very quiet, cozy, and, it seemed to me, typical German. Beautiful, discreet, clean. We were very upset that all the decorations for Christmas were dismantled on December 28, we knew that the fairs ended on December 24-25, but that absolutely everything was removed was a surprise.
Due to the fact that we only had 6 hours, we could only see central part city, walking, we went to a restaurant. From food we tried sausages: white Munich and red, cabbage, mashed potatoes and beer, the food is average, I generally realized that I don’t like German and Austrian (Viennese) cuisine. With Czech cabbage and shank, all this cannot be compared. J. Further on the same S-Bahn train, we went back to the airport, it turned out that only the back of the train was going there. We would have left the other side of the airport, if not for the caring Germans. They saw that we were with a suitcase (in Germany, amazingly cheap things were at the time of the exchange rate 1 euro = 43 rubles, and then we bought a suitcase for 50 euros and managed to buy a lot of things on a shopping street, not far from the square). We had to hurry across with a new suitcase full of things.
I especially want to note the inspection at the airport, if the Italians don’t care what you are taking there, where you are going and whether you are going to stay here, then the Germans checked everything - documents, reservations, return tickets, the purpose of the visit, and very seriously inspected everyone, then there was no these high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe, but they were still on the alert. We flew to Munich, and from it to Barcelona with Lufthansa, everything is very good, tasty, comfortable, only their landings are scary, the plane seemed to fall on the ground both times.
Barcelona.
The second city was Barcelona, where we stayed from the evening of 28 to 31 December. We arrived in the evening and wandered for a very long time in the center in search of our hotel near the Plaza of Spain. It turned out that the hotel was under our noses and we were just wandering around. Hotel Onyx Fira turned out to be pleasant, with internet in the room and in the very center of the city. The fact is that Fira is an exhibition complex not far from the square, and everyone sent us there, and the hotel has a sign on the side, and it is simply not visible. After walking around the square in the evening, and eating local food in Tapa-tapa (they have delicious potatoes with jamon), we went to bed.
The morning began with breakfast, we try not to take breakfast at the hotel, it is rarely tasty and national food also no. Spaniards have very strange breakfasts. There are 2 options here, either you will be offered a baguette (bun, panini, where else) stuffed with tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, a small amount of greens and jamon, maybe with cheese, or you will be offered churros with hot chocolate. In general, I do not associate this food with breakfast, but churros deserve attention. These are such donuts, considered a national delicacy in Spain, in Barcelona they are often sold with a filling - white cream or chocolate, in Madrid I have never met with a filling. In all our trips, my husband and I love to wander around the city on our own, we can even find them under 30 km a day.
Barcelona in general is conducive to such walks, there is something to see and where to go. In addition, at the end of December the weather is beautiful, it reminds me of our Moscow September in a good year. During the day around + 18-20, in the evening 12-15. I even dipped my feet in the sea and lay down on the beach. From Plaza de España we went to the fountain and up the Fira complexes to the observation deck. The city is amazing, perhaps one of the best I have seen: warmth, sea, beach, palm trees, sun, blue sky and a view of the tiled roofs, as well as a sea of flowers, palm trees, greenery and tangerines on the trees is a very incomplete description of Barça. We really liked it near the port and on the embankment in general, we reached the Olympic rings, in the 90s there was an Olympics here. Impression of fairy tale cities from which you don't want to leave.
But the Barcelona metro is something terrible, uncomfortable platforms, no decoration, water pours (!), There are holes in the walls, and it’s not cheap, besides, it’s a zonal system, which I haven’t fully figured out. For 2 full days there, we walked around the city from 2 different sides, looked at Gaudí's Sagrada Familia, La Rumba Boulevard, Plaza de España and Plaza Catalunya. We didn’t have time to go up on the lift, even in December there was a very long queue, the employees said it was no less than 2 hours, but we didn’t have so much time for a downtime, we wanted to see more. And in general, you need to return to Barca, preferably when the water is warm. As for the new year, it simply doesn’t exist in Europe, there are few Christmas trees, even fewer decorations, in Moscow the holiday is felt much more. There were Christmas trees in Barcelona, they were not removed until the New Year, as in Germany, but they look very strange against the backdrop of palm trees. Usually in Moscow at the end of December I always have a festive, New Year's mood, in warm Spain it was not at all, it seemed to me that I was somewhere in September.
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On the afternoon of December 31, we moved to Madrid. Our flight lasted only 50 minutes, no complaints against Iberia. But the train on the plane was cheerful, apparently, the families flew on New Year's Eve, because there were only children and parents on the plane, many babies. I love children very much, but when a wild scream does not stop around you for 50 minutes, and I feel sorry for them, but it's terrible. We lived in the Hotel Vita Angle, I liked it there. December 31 and new year's eve we spent it like this: we walked around Sol Square (the center of Madrid should be told about it separately), went to an unsuccessful restaurant, burned sparklers and walked in a warm coat, unlike Barca, where jeans + sweatshirt and sunglasses were the ideal dress code.
In the room we opened champagne, bought in a small shop from a Chinese, we had jamon, a baguette and amazing Philadelphia cheese, and tangerines with chocolate. For the future, I realized that if you are going somewhere for the New Year, you should take care of the meeting place for this holiday in advance. Options in Madrid: a random restaurant, which we did, we went to a restaurant at 23 o'clock, the only thing that reminded us of the holiday was the replacement of the usual menu with another one, no, do not think that atm there were special dishes, the same, but all prices multiplied by 2. After sitting there for 30 minutes in the company of 1 more Russian couple and a few Chinese, watching TV in Spanish, we realized that it was better to do it in a hotel where we had supplies and champagne. We went out into the street waiting for the fireworks, lit the sparklers brought from Moscow and disappointed, there were maybe 20 volleys, the fireworks lasted about 1.5 minutes.
People dressed in wigs and funny headbands began to disperse from the central square, at one in the morning the square was empty. And now the most amazing thing is that at 9 in the morning we went out into the street ... and found that by Russian standards, there was no holiday. Broken glass? Dead streets? Drunk and funny companies? No, we haven't heard. Well, there are no special decorations, slides, Christmas trees in the city, one Christmas tree is more like a metal structure yellow color was in the square. On the street at 9 am, half the shops were open, almost all the restaurants, there were a lot of people! No scope of celebration. We first walked to the Bank of Madrid and the Museum Quarter, Retiro Park. We went to the Catholic Church, there was a service. We looked at the building of the Prado Museum. At this point, it began to rain, my German uggs began to get wet, we hurried to the room to change. In general, the weather in Marida and Barcelona is very different, in Barcelona it was our September, with a pleasant +18, in Madrid - November with +7 during the day and +1 at night, you will definitely need an umbrella here.
In the evening we went to the main street and found the Plaza de España with a monument to Cervantes (Don Quixote and Sancho Panza) on it. About Place de Sol. It turned out very funny, we went far from our hotel and decided to also see the central square - de Sol, somehow according to the guidebook, with the help of questions from the local population, we managed to reach when we arrived, we laughed for a long time! It turned out that this was the 1st place that we saw in Madrid, and we lived 5 minutes from it and celebrated the New Year on it, but we did not recognize the name.
Comparing 2 Spanish cities, I will definitely prefer Barcelona. Madrid is an interesting city, but Barça is a universe that you don't want to leave. If I now divided the days between Madrid and Barcelona, then Madrid would get 2 days, no more.
We flew from Madrid by Iberia (they also flew in), with self-registration, it’s rather strange, but they didn’t charge us 60 euros for luggage and we saved money, it was nice. In Barcelona we had an evening and half a night. We lived in a hotel near the airport (however, a taxi to the airport cost us 32 euros!). And all taxi drivers are girls! Best Western Alfa Aeropuerto, 4 stars, high-tech room, but there is nothing near the hotel at all. Morning started at 3 o'clock, taxi, flight to Zurich.
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The Spaniards are very fond of holidays, and usually celebrate them on a grand scale. Christmas and New Year in Spain turn into one big fiesta, which starts from the beginning of December and ends on January 6 on the Day of the Kings. The Spaniards are preparing very carefully for each stage, and where it all begins - read in our first article on the Christmas theme. And in this one, we'll talk about:
- why the Spaniards are rightly considered the biggest "spenders" and how to properly spend the "New Year's stash";
- where you can admire the animated pages of the Bible;
- what to stock up for Christmas and New Year's table;
- what will help fulfill 12 cherished New Year's wishes;
- who brings gifts to Spanish children and how to get to the royal reception.
How much does a holiday cost
The statistics rightly state that the Spaniards are perhaps the biggest spenders in the world! Their expenses for pre-holiday chores this year will amount to 682 euros. They are quite a bit inferior to the Danish leaders - only some 7 euros. But they are far ahead of more prosperous Europeans, who, on average, are ready to spend more modestly - by 517 euros.
A third of the amount, 262 euros, will go to gifts. It is customary to give them not only to relatives, friends and relatives. Gifts for kids are a whole different story. Colleagues and colleagues will not be left without attention. Each leader considers it his honorable duty to please his subordinates. For them, as a rule, "Christmas baskets" are ordered from special catalogs. Depending on the scope of the donor, there will be a lot of goodies and drinks for the New Year's table. A very practical and nice gift.
In the same expense item, you should add spending on Christmas parties, which begin 2 weeks before the official holiday date.
This is "bread time" for local bars and restaurants. Cheerful campaigns stay up until the morning, tables are breaking and wines are flowing like water. Every entrepreneur is sure that his generosity on Christmas days will turn into profit and development of the company in the coming year.
The second item of expenditure is New Year's delicacies. The Spaniards, as well-known gluttons, are ready to fork out for 198 euros.
The remaining 200 will go to entertainment and travel.
And where do the Spaniards go to really and with pleasure realize their "holiday stash"? To the Christmas markets that spring up like mushrooms after the rain in the open air all over Spain.
We advise you to follow their example. After all, here you can "kill" three birds with one stone! Buy gifts, eat hot chestnuts, stock up on holiday treats, and have fun. Painted wooden houses where smiling vendors dressed as Santa sell souvenirs and handicrafts of local craftsmen. Pony and donkey rides, carousel swings, orchestras and clowns, costume processions. For children, artificial skating rinks are opened even where ice and frost have never been seen.
A charge of fun and vivacity is enough for all the holidays!
Spanish Christmas - Noche Buena
Christmas is a special day of the year. Wherever he lives or stays on duty, a true Spaniard is ready to drop everything and rush to his native nest. This ubiquitous celebratory mood interferes with business life. Therefore, we do not recommend scheduling resolution of serious issues for December. On December 24, offices have a short working day, shops, bars, restaurants close earlier than usual. You can probably only have dinner with the Chinese. The rest - a hut on a club. On Christmas Eve, the whole family - from infants to elderly elders - should gather at the home holiday table.
It's cozy family celebration: on the table are the most expensive and delicious dishes, mountains of sweets, henbane glows with lights, gifts in bright packaging under the Christmas tree. The table is noisy and fun. The Spaniards are a melodious people, so everyone knows Christmas carols - villancicos by heart and sings in chorus with pleasure.
At 21 o'clock - TV channels throughout the country broadcast congratulations from His Highness - King Felipe of Spain. At midnight, the solemn Christmas service begins in the temples - Misa de gallo. Translated into Russian, “Mass of the Rooster”, recalls that it was the morning cock’s cry that told the world the news of the birth of Christ. It is also customary to attend Mass with the whole family. Well, then everyone returns to the interrupted fun, which lasts until the morning. This is how the Spaniards spend the Holy Night - Noche Buena.
But this is only the middle of the winter marathon. Ahead - New Year's holiday. In Spain it is called "Old Night" - Noche Vieja.
Culinary Christmas and new year traditions
A hearty festive meal is the key to well-being in the coming year. The Spaniards sincerely believe in this and make solid food stocks, although their cost is steadily increasing. After all, sit down festive table to be done at least 3 times.
In addition to the Christmas dinner, they will have a New Year's meal and gatherings on the Day of the Kings.
There is no obligatory holiday dish. Rather, each region has its own culinary traditions: from stuffed turkey and leg of lamb to baked sea bream or eel. However, there are purely New Year's delicacies that will certainly appear in every home. These are all kinds of seafood - lobsters, crabs, langoustines, Spanish dry-cured ham - jamon and, of course, Christmas sweets. Most of them are the heritage of Mauritanian culinary art.
Spanish housewives do not bother with homemade pastries and willingly buy factory delicacies: marzipans, polvarons, turrons. Turrón - sweet tiles based on crushed nuts, honey and eggs. Turrón Duro - hard, reminiscent of our gozinaki, only with almonds. Turrón Blando - soft, similar to halva. Confectionery factories in Alicante and Gijon work hard for several months of the year to provide the whole country with New Year's dessert.
"Grapes of luck" or how the Spaniards celebrate the New Year
If Christmas is an event for a purely family circle of people, then the Spaniards go "to the people" to celebrate the New Year. They gather in large friendly campaigns or book a table in restaurants, where a special menu is prepared for this occasion and holiday program.
Climax new year celebration becomes a global flash mob. Exactly at midnight, under the chimes, the whole country eats 12 grapes. And you need to have time to make a wish and after 3 seconds go to the next berry and it is advisable not to choke. Those who did not manage to get to the main square of the country, Puerta del Sol in Madrid, join the annual ritual thanks to a television broadcast.
It is believed that this tradition attracts wealth, happiness and health for the whole year in such a peculiar way. However, the background of the story is purely commercial. Entrepreneurial farmers from Vinolopo (province of Alicante), who received an unprecedented harvest in 1909, in order not to let the excess of fruit disappear, rushed to the capital on New Year's Eve. By distributing bunches for free, they inspired the “warmed-up” people of Madrid with the idea of the magical effect of “grapes of luck”. The tradition quickly took root, retail chains offer ready-made packages and even tins with 12 grapes for the holiday.
You also need to save a bottle of cava (Cava) - Spanish champagne and drink a glass of foamy wine right on the square, clinking glasses with everyone around and wishing them "Feliz año nuevo" - "Happy New Year!" Around the roar of firecrackers, fiery splashes of fireworks.
The fun lasts until dawn. And in the morning of the coming year, you should have breakfast with hot chocolate, dipping crispy churros (churros) - a Spanish donut there.
Who brought us presents?
Children outside the Spanish kingdom have reason to envy. After all, their Spanish peers receive gifts during the holiday marathon several times.
Probably because the honorable mission of donors is performed by a whole team of wizards. Moreover, the twin brother of Santa Claus, who is called Papa Noel (Papá Noel), plays far from the first violin. Here, a rosy-cheeked bearded man in a red cap is considered an "overseas stranger." And parents suspect that it is he who provokes dear children to festive shopaholics. Meticulous sociologists have calculated that for every child soul there are an average of 10 gifts.
Spaniards are much nicer than their own, home-grown characters. In the Basque Country and Navarre, Olentzero is greeted noisily and cheerfully. A good-natured coal miner, stained with soot, a merry fellow and a lover of a glass of wine, is closer and dearer than an impeccable Santa. He descends from the mountains to tell the joyful Christmas message and to please the children with gifts.
In Catalonia, sticks are used to “knock out” Christmas delicacies from the Caga Tió log, which you can read about in the special article “Christmas Traditions of Catalonia”. Mythical forest creatures in green fur caps - Iratxoak (Iratxoak) give gifts to children in the province of Biscay.
On Christmas and New Year's Eve, the Galician Santa Claus, Apalpador, sneaks into the children's bedrooms. He feels the babies' tummies to make sure they're eating well and leaves roasted chestnuts under their pillows. In Cantabria, the lumberjack Esteru plays the honorary role of the donor.
Tio de Nadal - a Christmas log that brings gifts in Catalonia
Beautiful country, the warmest in Europe. It is here that the most incendiary, cheerful, cheerful people. By purchasing tours to Spain for the New Year 2018, you will see carnivals, various festivals, concerts, large-scale events right on the streets of the country. The Spaniards celebrate the New Year in the open air on a grand scale, as they are madly in love with the holidays. Celebrations in the country begin on December 25. In Spain, the locals call New Year's Eve "Old Night". For this holiday, they carefully prepare. Of course, you are unlikely to see snow here, but you will admire other sights that you will remember for a long time and leave unforgettable emotions. Tired of celebrating the New Year in front of the TV screen with a cup of Olivier, then go travel to fairyland Spain.
New Year traditions of the Spaniards
The Spaniards have an ancient and very beautiful tradition: while the chimes are striking, you must eat twelve grapes, one with each ringing. This ritual can be performed in the square of any city in the country where there is a huge clock. Grapes for the Spaniards symbolize wealth and prosperity.
Well, what is the New Year without a Christmas tree? But the Spaniards prefer the poinsettia flower more than this tree. The fact is that this unusually beautiful plant blooms on Christmas Eve and therefore many locals associate the New Year with this flower.
As in other countries, the children of Spain believe in Santa Claus, they only call him Olentzero. This is the same grandfather with a beard, only in traditional Spanish clothes and with whiskey in his hands. Olentzero leaves gifts not in shoes, but on the windowsill.
On the festive table there are various seafood and fish dishes, pies, tartlets, sandwiches, cumin cookies, almond cakes and much more, which are prepared by the housewives with all their hearts. Be sure to have a good tasty wine on the table, as Spain is famous for its winemaking.
Young people tend to wear red outfits and masks. It is believed that this color symbolizes good luck.
At midnight, people in the squares congratulate each other on the holiday. Even a stranger can give you a small trifle as a present. Here is such a friendly and hospitable people in Spain.
Where to go during the New Year holidays?
Choosing New Year's tours in Spain you can visit the main square of Madrid Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. For spiritual relaxation, you can choose the Prado National Museum, which contains about 60,000 paintings. If you like to visit museums, then there are a lot of them. Among them are the famous Reina Sofia Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and others. Many will be surprised, but tourists go in droves to the Atocha railway station for an excursion. The fact is that on the territory of the station there is a chic greenhouse, in which there are many species of tropical plants.
With children, you can visit the zoo and the aquarium. However, this pleasure is not cheap. The cost of an adult ticket is 23 euros, a child ticket is 18.5 euros.
Prices for New Year tours to Spain 2018
It is practically impossible to find one for the New Year, so you need to take advantage of the early booking promotion. These actions are needed in order to save your finances and spend them in the right direction. You can also choose the hotel or apartment that suits you best and is close to historical sites. The cost of a tour for two for a week will cost you about 70,000 rubles. Accommodation in a three-star hotel, meals and excursions are included in the tour price.
New Year
New Year's Eve in Spain is a great solution for people who want to celebrate it in a warm climate, but at the same time in Europe. TEZ TOUR guarantees: this is exactly what you need! Even in Catalonia in winter, the air can warm up to +20 degrees. And in Andalusia, which through Gibraltar looks at hot Africa - and even more so.
In Spain, you can arrange a wonderful Christmas vacation. This cheerful southern people - lovers of siesta - knows a lot about holidays. They walk here for a whole month, starting from December 6, when Constitution Day is celebrated, which flows into the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8). Noisy fairs precede Christmas. Next comes the Christmas night of Nochebuena.
On December 28, the Spaniards have April Fools' Day, just like our April Fool's Day - with funny jokes and practical jokes. After a little rest, they celebrate the New Year. And crowns a series of winter holidays Epiphany (Bethany). All holidays are celebrated very violently. Spaniards do not like to sit at home at the table. They take to the streets, arrange bright costumed carnivals, festive processions, and have fun all day long. So you have a great opportunity to get into this cheerful festive whirlpool.
Sitting at home on New Year's Eve (Ano Nuevo) is considered bad manners here. Only a gala dinner is held in the family circle. And then on the square - have fun! The Spaniards have their own wonderful traditions, which you can also join in order to feel the spirit and taste of Spain.
Spain's main festive square is the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. On New Year's Eve (Noche vieja) here, as well as in Italy, it is customary to eat 12 grapes at each stroke of the clock, making wishes - one for each month of the new year. But, unlike the Italians, in Spain they take the issue very seriously. These twelve grapes are even sold in local stores already packaged.
This tradition is almost 100 years old, and it comes from the time when, in the year of a particularly rich harvest, the king ordered grapes to be distributed to all Spaniards. It's a whole ritual. It is necessary to have time to eat a grape every 3 seconds after each strike of the clock. Moreover, the bones must be spit out before the clock ends. And then your wishes will certainly come true. So, if you decide to celebrate the New Year in Spain - practice!
Everything that is not eaten, the Spaniards throw in different directions (here they generally love to scatter different products), they drink champagne, sing and dance, rattle firecrackers, sprinkle each other with serpentine and confetti! The festivities continue until five in the morning, after which the Spaniards go to the cafe to drink hot chocolate eating churros.
Another tradition in Spain was born relatively recently - to celebrate the New Year only in red underwear. And then he will be sure to be happy and successful. Add the eaten grapes here - and you will understand that it cannot be otherwise! And young people love to arrange New Year's fortune-telling. The names of boys and girls are written on the leaves, which are put into two baskets. Then each pulls out a piece of paper, recognizing the name of his other half. So, if you have not yet met your fate - you definitely need to go to Spain!
In this amazing country, even Santa Claus is unusual. His name is papa Noel, he is wearing National Costume, in his hands a bottle of Cava champagne, and he leaves gifts right on the balconies.
Once in Spain, it is a sin not to visit other cities. Barcelona, Toledo, Segovia, Valencia, Granada and many others are waiting for you. Each of them has its own zest and its own unique charm. If you want snow, it's not a question either: head to the Sierra Nevada ski resort.
You will bring a lot of impressions from Spain, and a piece of your soul will remain in this warm, southern, beautiful country, which you want to return to again and again!
Each country has its own peculiarities and traditions of celebrating winter holidays. Spain is no exception in this regard. In all cities and provinces, streets, shop windows, houses of residents are dressed up with various lights, Christmas trees are put up, which creates festive mood.
Christmas Eve is celebrated in Spain on December 24, the day before Christmas. This is a family holiday, like Christmas, so only family members gather at the table. According to the established tradition, children sing songs and eat sweets on the table.
Children also receive symbolic gifts. The pagan character "Caga tio" is not uncommon in Catalan homes. This log looks unusual. It has a human face, front legs and is covered with a blanket. Children either buy it or make it themselves. It is believed that if you take care of it, it will bring gifts.
Caga tió (Tio de Nadal)
At night, at two o'clock, all the people gather for the Rooster Mass (Misa de gallo). According to beliefs, it was the rooster who first saw the birth of Christ and then spread the news throughout the world.
When is Christmas celebrated
Christmas is officially celebrated on December 25, but the celebration itself begins a little earlier. Christmas is an exclusively family holiday in Spain. Each family gathers together, even the most distant relatives come. All houses, according to ancient custom, are lit by kerosene lamps. On Christmas night, the festive table is filled with numerous sweets and seafood. The main dish is turkey with mushrooms. And after dinner, until the morning, everyone has fun and sings Christmas songs near the Christmas tree.
Christmas traditions
The celebration of the Hogueras is an old Spanish tradition of celebrating winter solstice. This is the shortest day of the year. In some regions, the Spaniards jump over the fires, and this is considered a ritual that protects against diseases.
The most popular and important traditional symbol is, of course, the belen. It has the form of a layout that demonstrates the birth of Christ. It is a real decoration of the city and houses. All shops, offices, restaurants put their own belen on public display. And the most beautiful Christmas compositions are located on the main square of each city. These are real works of art that display a piece of life. Now any store in Spain sells items for the construction of henbane, and the material is the most diverse. Therefore, each family has its own composition.
Every year the residents are entertained with pyrotechnic shows, music, Christmas markets and traditional fairs. All this provides a special mood. In a town located in the province of Malaga (Málaga), in Andalusia (Andalucía), Christmas is celebrated in the style of flamenco, along with competitions and related concerts. This is a major cultural event. The tradition is not old. It has emerged quite recently. Residents enjoy the performances of singers and dancers. And also, tasting of anise liqueur, dessert wine and local pastries.
Archena at Christmas becomes a real medieval trading point. The market sells old jugs, mixtures of herbs, fat tails for wine. Clowns, witches and fortune tellers are an essential attribute. Residents seem to fall into the last century.
Every year on December 25, the first Sunday of January and January 6, the Brotherhood of the Good Name of Jesus holds an unusual ritual in Caudete (Albacete province). These days, dances are held "Reinado infantil" ("Children's kingdom"), then "Reinados adultos" ("Adult kingdom"). Venue: Church Square. From the square, all the fun is transferred to the halls of the local Compars Association.
Residents of the town of Galisteo, located in the province of Caceres, have a slightly different Christmas experience. The members of the brotherhood, formed in 1662, perform an Act of Faith. Actors present to the audience only one "play" of the brotherhood. Preparations begin on the first Sunday in November. The host himself chooses the theme of the rehearsals. On Christmas Eve, around 10 am, the assistant steward appears outside and beats a drum. Thus, he calls all the members of the brotherhood to the house of the steward. There is already a cradle with the baby Christ. All the brothers bow to the cradle. After a peculiar ceremony, they all collect Christmas alms. In the process, they sing various songs. And on December 25, the steward treats all the brothers to dinner. In parallel, Carantolha, who personifies Herod, "scares" people on the street with his appearance. The performance of the "Sacred Act", which begins at 3 pm, brings the holiday to its logical conclusion.
Jerez, located in the province of Cadiz (Cádiz), on the eve of Christmas strikes the city with New Year's illumination. The Christmas program includes a market, competitions, the Cotillion holiday. The tradition is to perform hymns to the glory of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child accompanied by sambobo. This is an old noise instrument. Improvised concerts are also arranged and songs are sung.
Vejer de la Frontera in the province of Cádiz has its own traditions. During the Christmas period, the town is simply filled with the sounds of sambobo. A whitewash competition is also held among all residents and a display of "Live Pictures of Bethlehem" is organized.
Spanish New Year's carols, or "", originated in the 13th century and spread to Spain in the 16th century. The term itself is associated with the word "villa" - a village. That is, this suggests that the songs originally originated in the villages. In those days, they were performed by peasants at various festivals and had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas. But in the 19th century everything changed. These songs became associated with the birth of the baby Jesus.
December 28 is celebrated. It is an analogue of the Russian April 1. The Spaniards are a cheerful people, so they know how to joke with each other. On this day, newspapers publish various false advertisements, and fountains are filled with soapy suds. It is considered a standard joke to stick a “monigote” figurine to the back of a friend. It is also popular to replace sugar with salt at the family table. This day, by the way, has a religious origin. According to Catholic traditions, this is the Day of the Infant Martyrs. And it is celebrated in memory of the children who were beaten on the orders of Herod in Bethlehem.
When is the New Year celebrated
Celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. It is public in nature, as all residents flock to the main squares of cities and expect the chiming clock. New Year in Spain is exactly what differs from the quiet and family Christmas in the family circle. Of course, on New Year's Eve, the Spaniards have dinner with their families at home or in restaurants, but after that, they definitely go outside.
New Year traditions
The most famous tradition is eating 12 grapes, which must be eaten under the chiming clock. Grapes in Spain have long symbolized wealth, happiness and health. By the way, ready-made packages of grapes (12 pieces) are sold in stores.
Red, which symbolizes mostly Spain, is also preferred for the New Year. It is believed that red underwear will bring good luck and happiness in the new year.
The Spaniards have one symbol called "Caganer" ("El Caganer"). This is not an ordinary figurine. It represents a defecating little man, which, as it turns out, symbolizes good luck in the new year. It is believed that he thus fertilizes the earth.
San Juan de Beleño (San Juan de Beleño) has its own peculiarity of celebrating the New Year. A mysterious figure collects New Year offerings on January 1st from the people of Beleno. This figure is accompanied by 40 people on horseback. "Girria" main character, dressed in pants white color with red inserts, a cap on his head, and a bag of ashes on his shoulders. With this bag, he beats women who prevent him from approaching him. Every year "Girria" is different. And the face is revealed only at the end of the ritual.
Final holiday
The Christmas season is coming to an end new year holidays and traditions on January 6, which is the day. This is a children's holiday. On the square there is a performance with the participation of fairy tale characters. According to traditions, children write a letter not to Santa Claus, but to the three Magi.
During the holiday, you can also watch the procession in all cities of Spain. Kings on camels pass through the streets and scatter candies, while children and adults collect them. It is on this day that children receive long-awaited gifts. The procession itself begins at about 7 pm and is broadcast on all central channels.
Christmas and New Year traditions in Spain are numerous. Each town and province has its own, but the festive mood, brightly decorated streets and the cheerful nature of the Spaniards make the series of New Year holidays unforgettable.
