Spanish Christmas Traditions

By Lily and Antonia (Year 9)

Spain is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, so many people go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, which attracts many people from all around Spain. It earned its fabulous name because the rooster is believed to have crowed the night that Jesus was born. Christmas Eve is called Nochebuena. In the days leading up to Nochebuena, children can take part in ‘piden el aguialdo’ where they sing carols to their neighbours hoping for money.

España es un pais predominamente Catolico, entonces muchas personas van a Misa de Gallo, un evento que atrae muchas personas por toda España. Se gano este nombre fabuloso  porque se cree que un Gallo canto la noche que el Jesus Christo nacio. En los dias antes de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), niños ‘piden el aguialdo’. Esto significa que cantan para sus vecinos esperando para plata.

Christmas dinner

Most families eat their main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve before the service. The traditional Spanish Christmas dinner was ‘Pavo Trufado de Navidad’ which is Turkey stuffed with truffles (mushrooms) or ‘Pularda asada’ (a roasted young hen), although they are not commonly eaten now. In Galicia (a region in north-west Spain, surrounded by water) the most popular meal for Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day is seafood. This can be all kinds of different seafood, from shellfish and mollusks, to lobster and small edible crabs.

La majoría de familias comen su comida navideña en la Nochebuena antes de la misa. La sena Navideña tradicional en España es Pavo Trufado de Navidad, un pavo rellenado con trufas, o Pularda asada, una gallina joven asada, aunquen no se communamente come ahora. En Galicia, un region en noroeste de España rodeado con agua, la comida mas popular para la Nochebuena y la Navidad son los mariscos. Esto puede ser muchos differentes tipos de mariscos, desde moluscos, hasta langostas y pequeños cangrejos comestibles.

Spanish version of ‘Santa Claus’

In Spain, the three Kings replace what we know as ‘Santa Claus’. There are three main things that children do to welcome the three Kings:

  • They write letters to the Three Kings who then bring them gifts on January 5th/6th
  • They leave their shoes by the door so that they are filled with gifts
  • They leave drinks for the 3 Kings and some snacks for their camels.
  • A key difference is that they do not fill stockings. 

En España, los tres Reyes, reemplacan el ‘Santa Claus’. Ay tres cosas que niños hacen para acojer los Reyes:

  • Escriben letras a los Reyes quen le trayen regalos en el 5/6 de enero
  • Dejan sus sapatos en la puerta para que puedan ser rellenados con dulces
  • Dejan bebidas para Reyes y piscolabis para los camellos
  • Una differencia importante es que los Reyes no reyenan mediyas de Navidad

New Year’s Eve

One of the biggest Spanish New Year’s traditions is to eat a grape on every chime of the last 12 seconds of the year with your family and friends, by the time it strikes midnight, Spaniards will have eaten 12 grapes. Most families will watch the celebrations on TV. 

Nochevieja

Una de las mas grandes traditiones Españolas es comer una uva cada campanilla en los ultimos doze segundos del año nuevo con tu familia y tus amigos, y quando es la medianoche, un Español a comido doze uvas. La grande mayoridad de españoles ven Las celebraciones en la tele.