Olentzero is an important figure in Basque mythology who lives in a mountain house and watches children's behavior using a magic fire, making notes about which children are good and deserve presents. At Christmas, he brings gifts to good children across the Basque Country. Families in the Basque region celebrate Christmas Eve on December 24th with a special dinner before visiting Olentzero in their towns to receive gifts and hope from the children during a difficult economic time.

2. WHO’S OLENTZERO?
• Olentzero is one of the most important characters in the Basque mithology.
He’s an old man, who lives in a house in a mountain. During the year he watches the Basque
Country kids behavior by a magic fire he has in a secret room in his house while he makes the
presents. Thanks to that, he knows which kids are good, and which ones are bad.
Olentzero brings presents to all the kids in the country, but only to the good ones!
He has a list to know which ones deserve presents and who don’t.

3. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTMAS
EVE
• This tradition is celebrated in the Basque Country, this festival or holiday starts the 24 of
December and finishes the 7 of January, the day school starts.
• The 24 of December, most of the families meet and have dinner together, to celebrate the
Christmas eve. We usually have shellfish,jam,lamb,chocolate... Before having dinner, people go
to visit Olentzero, who comes to visit every town in the Basque Country and receives the children
with love and hope for this year more than the rest because of the bad economic situation of the
families in Spain.

4. SOME PICTURES