The Christmas period in Spain lasts from December 13th to January 6th. During this time, there are Christmas markets, street lights, and nativity scenes decorate towns. Creating elaborate nativity scenes is a tradition, with figures of Jesus, the three wise men, and sometimes a "caganer" bringing good luck. On Christmas Eve, families gather for a special dinner and attend midnight mass. Exchanging gifts and celebrating with food and fireworks continues until Epiphany on January 6th, marking the end of the Christmas season in Spain.

1. Las Navidades en España

2. Las Navidades = Christmas Period The Christmas period in Spain goes on from about the 13 th December until the 6 th January. During all this period all the shops continue to have their Christmas decorations, TV adverts are still about Christmas, and the atmosphere everywhere is that the festivities continue

3. el 13 de Diciembre It is Saint Lucia’s day and it signals the start of the Christmas period Traditional Christmas markets are set up, where you can buy Christmas trees, holly, misletoe, all that you need to decorate the Christmas tree, the house and to make the all important Nativity Scenes.

4. El mercado de Santa Lucía = Christmas market

12. Luces callejeras = Street lights Street lights appear all over the towns just like so many other places in the world

15. El Belén = Nativity Scene This is traditionally the most important decoration in houses and towns. They try to recreate the life in villages at the time when Jesus was born, although scenes are not always true as imagination can run riot.

16. El Belén en casa = Nativity scenes in the house The sizes of these nativity scenes can vary enormously. Families can compete to see who makes the best, most intricate, most lavish, biggest, brightest ones

23. No Nativity Scene is complete without: El Nacimiento = The Crib AND Los Tres Reyes Magos = The Three Wise Men, The Three Kings, or The Magi.

25. Normally “Los Tres Reyes Magos” will be placed at opposite ends from the crib. From the 24 th December they will be made to advance little by little until they arrive at the crib on 6 th January.

29. El Caganer A MUST - In some regions in Spain it is traditional to put the figure of a man crouching and with his trousers down as he is doing his necessities. It is thought that if this figure is present in the Nativity Scene it will bring good luck

30. Traditional “caganer” Fantasy “ caganer”

31. El Belén en la ciudad = Nativity Scene in the town It is very common to see Nativity Scenes in towns. Again they vary in sizes, and in some the statues can be life size. You can also see living ones.

42. El árbol de Navidad = the Christmas Tree This tradition has only been added in the last few decades and it is continuing to grow among the households in Spain.

44. El 22 de Diciembre EL GORDO = THE FAT ONE The biggest lottery around …….. It was first intoduced in Spain in 1812. Prizes total 1.8 billion Euros AND CHILDREN START THEIR HOLIDAY

45. Los niños del Colegio San Ildefonso - Madrid

46. Each ticket costs about £35 There are 66,000 numbers and each number is repeated 1,900 times Individuals, companies, shops …. all buy tickets and either give shares in that number as a present or they sell them – In this way people will end up with several tens of numbers thus increasing their chance to win

47. El lote de Navidad = Christmas Hamper Traditionally every employer gives each employee a hamper, varying in contents and sizes

49. El aguinaldo = Christmas pay Employees are paid double that month to help them with the expense.

50. Los villancicos = Christmas Carols Spanish traditional carols are very different to English ones. Of course we also have Jingle Bells, Silent Night and others sung in Spanish

51. La Zambomba Traditional Christmas instrument to sing carols

55. La nochebuena = Christmas’ eve Family and extended family get together for a special dinner Food varies from region to region although turkey, goose or chicken is normally present

57. El turrón = traditional Christmas Sweet

58. La Misa del Gallo = Midnight Mass

59. Los regalos de Navidad = Christmas presents This is NOT necessarily the main date for presents. It varies how few or how many presents are given on this date, if at all.

60. Papá Noël = Father Christmas If presents are given, they are either given in the night of the 24 th December OR in the morning of the 25 th December

62. El 25 de diciembre ¡Feliz Navidad! Happy Christmas! A repetition of Christmas Eve

63. el 28 de diciembre El Día de los Inocentes = Fools Day Newspapers, TV, and everyone participates in playing some kind of prank. Kids might hang paper men on people’s backs in the street

65. el 31 de diciembre La Nochevieja = New Year’s Eve Many people see the New Year at home and then go out to parties Some will go out to restaurants or discos and see the new year there WHEREVER………..

66. They will eat 12 grapes (one per chime) to bring them good luck and then have a toast with “cava” - sparkling wine produced in Spain

67. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Happy New Year! The whole family gathers to celebrate the New Year

68. Los Reyes Magos = The Three Kings Traditionally, once the Christmas festivities are over people can concentrate on present buying. On the 6 th of January we give presents to remember that The Three Kings gave presents to Baby Jesus.

69. Stores enlist the presence of the Three Kings so that children can give them their letters. The Three Kings will bring the children the presents for which they ask.

72. El 5 de enero La cabalgata de Los Reyes Magos = The procession of the Three Kings

73. There is a procession in each town It signifies that The Three Kings have arrived in town from Orient loaded with the toys the children have asked for. They also throw loads of sweets to the expecting children

84. El 6 de enero ¡Feliz Día de Reyes! Happy Epiphany! Children wake up to presents They will also have sweets if they have been good and coal if they have been bad They will then go round to extended family to give and receive more presents

86. Families will gather to celebrate the day with a meal The traditional Three Kings ring will be eaten for dessert Inside there is a figure of a king and a bean. Whoever gets the figure will have good luck but whoever gets the bean will have bad luck

90. Christmas festivities are finished Children go back to School on the 8 th January The SALES start