Holiday Traditions in Spain Advent Calendar [23] Quiz

Turrón is a sweet treat similar to, but not the same as, nougat, consisting of honey and roasted almonds, with other ingredients added to taste. It can be found everywhere in Spain during the Christmas season, and a party table will often have different varieties of turrón from which to choose.

The softer variety, turrón de Jijona is often associated with the nativity scene, being featured as something being enjoyed by participants in the scene. Its history can be traced back hundreds of years, to the Moorish occupation of Spain.

As is also true in many countries, every Spanish town has a Nativity scene, there called a Belén, so named from the Spanish word for Bethlehem. These scenes can be quite elaborate, taking up an entire square or a city block. Many homes also display a smaller version, including all the usual elements. One of my friends made sure to start the Kings (wise men) at a distance, moving them closer each day to arrive on January 6th.

This is the big family dinner (la cena), traditionally taking place on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) and consisting of all sorts of food, including seafood, turkey, lamb, ham, roast pig and all kinds of desserts. It is a time to spend with family before heading off to church for midnight mass.

The somewhat unusual translation here is "Rooster Mass" to describe midnight mass on Christmas Eve. All becomes clear when one learns of the legend that a rooster crowed at midnight, heralding the birth of Jesus. Attending mass with one's family is traditional, and continues the good feelings generated by the family dinner earlier in the evening.

Christmas trees may be real or artificial, or in some cases a simple cone of lights in the vague shape of a tree. While they are a place for presents to be found, the major gift giving (or receiving) day for children is Los Reyes (Kings) on the sixth of January. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are more for family and celebrating the birth of Jesus, though small gifts are sometimes exchanged on those days. (In my own experience, by the beginning of the 21st century, Spanish kids were expecting gifts on Christmas AND Kings!)

El Gordo (the Fat One) and El Niño (the Child) are government run lotteries that are as much a part of the Christmas season as presents, mass or family dinners. The former is held a few days before Christmas in Madrid, and if you are out and about that day you will here children's voices singing out the lottery numbers as they are drawn. You will not be able to escape, even if you do not have a ticket, unless you go home and don't turn on the radio or TV.

The prizes are large (hence the name) and most people will have bought a tenth-part of a number, along with friends or family.

The latter is usually drawn on 6th January, with smaller prizes, but equal enthusiasm.

The "lucky grapes" should be twelve in number, with one eaten with each "bong" of the clock at midnight on Nochevieja (New Year's Eve). Twelve grapes eaten in this manner are said to bring twelve months of good luck, and in Spain it is a very common tradition. I first heard of it when the owner of the establishment where I was celebrating the occasion came around doling out twelve grapes to every patron, explaining what to do to those of us who looked confused. I've continued the tradition since leaving Spain, at least in part because I really like grapes. If you are going to try it, I suggest small, seedless grapes that are not too sour, as they go down more easily.

January sixth is the Day of the Kings, or simply Kings (los Reyes), marking the arrival of the Wise Men with their gifts for the baby Jesus. Tradition names them as Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, and may I say that I met more than one Balthazar and at least one of each of the others whilst I lived in Spain, which might show how popular the Kings are.

As has already been mentioned, this was traditionally the day when children got most of their presents.

A roscón de Reyes, or kings cake, is more like a sweet brioche than a cake, though it is decorated with candied fruit, and is a traditional treat on Kings (Epiphany, January 6) morning. Other Spanish-speaking countries also have this tradition, and also France and Belgium.

Cava is Spain's answer to champagne, and a glass of it could be enjoyed at any or all of the celebrations throughout the holiday season. It is a sparkling wine that has been produced in Spain (originally in Catalonia) since the 19th century making it a natural choice for Spanish holiday celebrations.