Hello, we are students of second of ESO at Andreu Sempere Secondary School in Alcoy (Alicante) Spain. We are going to present you the Christmas time in Alcoy and explain the traditional acts, the typical sweets and some songs.

1. Christmas in Alcoy
Hello, we are students of second of ESO at Andreu
Sempere Secondary School in Alcoy (Alicante) Spain.
We are going to present you the Christmas time in
Alcoy and explain the traditional acts, the typical
sweets and some songs.

2. ACTS

3. shepherds (pastorets y pastoretes)
This tradition is performed on the
first day of the so called “Christmas
trilogy”; all the traditional dance
groups of Alcoy (Carrascal and Sant
Jordi groups) prepare all year long
these traditional dances and, when
the day comes, they dance in the
most famous streets and in the Plaza

4. The little donkey (la burreta)
The day of “la burreta” is celebrated on January 4th at 7:00 pm.
The Royal Ambassador parades through the streets of Alcoy on
his float accompanied by torchbearers and their assistant pages
to announce the children that the kings are ready to arrive. They
are also accompanied by the people of Alcoy playing and singing
Christmas carols along with Tirisiti and Tereseta and the other
characters from “El Betlem de Tirisiti”, which we will explain
later. Then some donkeys come with large mailboxes where the
children throw their letters with the gifts they ask for.

6. THE PARADE (LA CABALGATA)
The cavalcade of the Three Wise Men is celebrated on January
5th at 6:00 p.m. from the top part of the village to the bottom;
the kings ride down on camels. They make stops so that the
children can have the opportunity to kiss them. When they arrive
at the plaza they do the adoration in front of the child Jesus with
his parents, Maria and Jose. They are accompanied by their
assistants, the real pages, who go up their long red ladders to the
balconies to give some gifts to the children. When they arrive at
their homes, the gifts are waiting for them.

8. Tirisiti
Tirisiti is a theatrical production made with puppets in Alcoy.
This play was already celebrated in the nineteenth century
and it represents the tradition of Betlem De Tirisiti (its full
name). Tirisiti is the main character and he speaks with a
tongue in his mouth; what you hear, Tirisiti, gives name to the
main character and representation. The main characters are
Tirisiti, Tereseta, El abuelo, El sereno, Las beatas and more
secondary characters.

10. Typical sweets from Alcoy

11. The typical Alcoy sweets
are:

12. THE ROSCÓN OF THE WISE MEN:
The “roscón” of the three Wise Men is eaten on the day of the
Wise Men’s cavalcade; inside it has a filling of cream or chocolate.
It also has a bean; if you touch it you have to pay the “roscón”,
but, if you get one of the small figures representing one of the
kings, you are very lucky.

13. Pralined almonds
It is a raw almond; caramelized sugar is added; then it is
roasted and sweetened, it is crispy and delicious;
grandmothers usually do it for their grandchildren.

14. Polvorón
The “polvorón” is a cake, commonly small, made with flour, lard
and sugar, baked in a strong oven and that crumbles in dust when
eating it. It is a typical product of Christmas pastry making in
Spain. It is called “polvorón” because, when the flour is added, it
seems that there is dust on top of the sweet.

15. Yolk nougat
Nougat is a sweet dough obtained by cooking honey (or sugars),
to which peeled and toasted almonds are added.

16. carols

17. Carols in Alcoy
Next we are going to tell you about the typical carols of
Alcoy. They are the following:

18. CAMINA MARIA
PASTORETS Y PASTORETES
PASTORET ON VAS
YA VIENEN LOS REYES
LOS PECES EN EL RIO
CAMPANA SOBRE CAMPANA

19. We hope you liked it, and from Andreu
Sempere Secondary School, we wish
you happy Christmas holidays.