Christmas version Española. What is Navidad like in Spain? I share my thoughts and observations on Christmas in Spain, from Xmas Eve to New Year and beyond to Los Reyes on the 6th of January.
Join me in the YouTube video below for an hour-long wander around Madrid on Christmas Eve.
Listen to the usual audio podcast version using the player below or on any podcast platform.
In this episode I wander around the Christmas market in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor and separate the tat from the traditional. What’s a Belén de Navidad? And why is there a lady selling bags of moss?
The Christmas season feels very long in Spain, punctuated by even longer and later meals.
It all kicks-off with the Spanish Christmas Lottery (Sorteo de Navidad or El Gordo) and culminates with the arrival of the Three Wise Men (Kings). I head up to Doña Manolita's - the place to buy a lucky Christmas lottery ticket and look at why the lottery is an essential part of the festive season.
I look at the timetable/calendar for a Spanish Christmas, what happens when. I stop at 'Cortylandia' a slightly tacky spectacle courtesy of El Corte Inglés department store, a must see for families and their kids at Christmas.
I wander through a quieter than usual Puerta del Sol to see where thousands of people gather to see in the New Year, counting chimes and eating grapes. Finally, food! I look at what Spaniards eat at Xmas, sweet and savoury!
¡Feliz Navidad y Felices Fiestas!
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