Christmas in Spain “Navidad”

Christmas in Spain “Navidad”
We have not had time to write about the celebration of Christmas in Spain so that you could compare them with yours. We have to say that in Spain there were three main dates:
Christmas, New Year and Epiphany.
But in each of them can differentiate between night and day.We celebrate Christmas night and the food of Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's day and the night and day of Three Wise Men.

Christmas: Night of 24th December and food 25th .
In the past restaurants or bars didn't open . We dined in families, everybody tried to be together even coming from other cities, singing carols, eating traditional Christmas cakes “polvorones, mantecados, roscos, turrones...” ( different cakes made with almonds) and the Catholic families attend midnight mass. A very long Mass at 12.00PM and which commemorates the birth of Jesus.
We also put the Nativity Scene at home and the Christmas tree. Lately Santa Claus is coming that night too and we hang the socks and leave milk and cookies. Both the dinner and the food are wonderful and always end with a toast of champagne or cider, giving thanks for all the year together.

New Year: New Year's Eve dinner 31th December and 1st January meal .
Although this remains a family celebration, it is to enjoy with friends too.
We have a special dinner after that at 12.00Pm o'clock we have 12 grapes and toast with champagne or cider to say bye-bye year. Every family connected by TV to the Puerta del Sol in Madrid and have the grapes with the “ding-dong” of the bells. Then Fireworks, and “Cotillón” , Party!
Next day we are much more relaxed and usually eat at home, of course an exquisite meal.

Epiphany: The day begins on Epiphany 5th January we get a wonderful parade and watch The Three Wise Men ( the three wizard kings in Spanish) , they bring us a lot of toys. That night we go bed very early to get up at dawn and find the gifts that the “kings” have brought us. Sometimes we had asked in our letter, other times They bring us only some of them, sometime things that our parents have asked for us, but they are always very generous.
The day after, 6th January we usually go from house to house picking up toys that “the kings” have left at the homes of relatives and friends. We always have “Roscón de reyes”.

Food: Our mothers, aunts and grandmothers make together an incredible meal. First, many appetisers, then 1st plate, 2nd plate and dessert. Meals are usually very elaborated and unusual. Seafood soup, shrimp cocktail, stuffed squid, meatballs, turkey, pork, quail stuffed roll of meat, octopus, fish baked, Yule log, lemon mousse tiramisu ....

Toys: I think we ask ,like everyone, Wii, Play Station, Game Boy, DVD, clothes, bicycles, books, board games and of course sweets and sweet coal (only to the children didn't have a very well behaviour during the last year)

Traditional Carols: Night of peace, tambourine, donkey to Bethlehem, Virgin Mary ....

Family games: the crown, tail to donkeys, the fate of potatoes, karaoke ...

Weather: Cold

How Long?: 2 weeks free from 22nd or 23rd December to 7th January (only school). Our parent only have the main dates free.