It is a good time to write about more than just the rules in the neighbourhood communities, problems with leaks in the common areas or what taxes you have to pay. Let’s take a break, because we want to tell you about some of the traditions and customs we have in Spain at Christmas time.
During such a special time as Christmas, each country celebrates and lives these dates with its own customs and traditional gastronomy which, on occasions, have much in common and, on others, can be completely different.
We Spaniards have our own particularities when it comes to enjoying these festive weeks, which in our case, take us until 6 January. In case you hadn’t noticed, today we take a look at some of Spain’s most curious Christmas traditions. Have you already incorporated any of them?
Setting up the nativity scene
If there is one thing that characterises the Christmas decorations in Spanish homes, it is the nativity scene. And while in other places the lights and the details of Father Christmas and his elves, not forgetting the sprig of mistletoe, have been the protagonists, the tradition in this land has revolved for the most part around the nativity scene.
The nativity scene, which represents the birth of the baby Jesus in the village of Bethlehem, can be of any size, from the simplest with its three central figures (the baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph) to the most elaborate, which constitute authentic models and miniature villages.
In fact, the nativity scene tradition in Spain has contributed to the fact that many historic nativity scenes are exhibited at this time of year and that going with children to see the nativity scenes in different cultural and public spaces in our city is also a classic at Christmas time.
The Song of the Sibyl
The traditional Misa del Gallo (Midnight Mass) is celebrated in Spain after Christmas Eve dinner, to celebrate the birth of Jesus. However, in Mallorca (Balearic Islands) they have an even more unique tradition related to this religious act. We are referring to the chant of the Sybil, which has been listed as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO since 2010.
It is a chant of medieval origin, with a Gregorian melody and no instrumental accompaniment, performed by a person dressed in a tunic, with a cape and a sword. The chant of the Sibyl takes place in different temples in Mallorca, although the most emblematic are those held in Palma Cathedral and in the Lluc sanctuary.
The Apalpador
In the Galician mountains, especially in the area of O Courel and O Cebreiro, there is a figure that competes every year with Father Christmas. This is the Apalpador, a Christmas character who every year, on 24 and 31 December, comes to the houses to feel the children’s tummies to check that they have eaten well during the rest of the year and leaves them presents and a handful of chestnuts. This is one of Galicia’s popular traditions that has been revitalised in recent years.
The Holy Innocents
Every December 28th in Spain a very curious date is celebrated: the Holy Innocents. On this day, tradition dictates that pranks are played on family and friends. Its symbol is a paper doll that represents the innocent person who has fallen for the joke that has been played on him or her.
The origin of this tradition is associated with the festival of the fools that took place in the Middle Ages between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. It was a day of carnival atmosphere in which ecclesiastical institutions were parodied, people dressed up in costumes and sang obscene tunes.
The Olentzero
The Olentzero also leaves gifts for the children of the Basque Country and Navarre. He is a character who leaves the woods where he lives to give presents to children every 24th December. He is a good-natured charcoal-burner, a bit of a rogue and a great lover of food and drink. Another tradition that brings happiness and joy to the youngest members of the family.
The twelve grapes
Undoubtedly, one of the traditions of Spanish Christmas that makes it unique is the twelve grapes, also known as the lucky grapes. Every 31 December it is customary to take one grape for each stroke of the clock at 00:00 hours to welcome the first day of the year and to do so by invoking good luck.
The origins of this tradition date back to the 19th century, when it was already practised by some bourgeois, drinking grapes and champagne at private parties, but it became popular in 1909, when there was a surplus harvest of white grapes in Alicante and a campaign was launched to link it to New Year’s Eve and expand the custom. And they succeeded.
Roscón de Reyes (Three Kings’ cake)
Every 6 January, the «roscón de Reyes» is a must on the tables of Spanish households, one of those traditions that are so much a part of us and which causes endless queues in patisseries and bakeries all over the country. After Twelfth Night, it is typically eaten for breakfast, as a dessert after lunch or as an afternoon snack.
This large sweet doughnut-shaped pastry hides a bean and a small figure inside. Whoever finds the bean in its piece must pay for the roscón, and whoever finds the figurine, in addition to keeping it as a souvenir, must be crowned king. That is why the roscón is sold with a golden cardboard crown.
The 22 December and 6 January lotteries
22 December is a day full of excitement, because this is the date of the Christmas lottery draw. Almost everyone wants to participate and, in the months leading up to Christmas, people buy lottery tickets that can be shared with friends or family (to spread the luck).
The first Christmas lottery draw was held in 1812. Since 1957, it has been broadcast live on television, and it is common for people to follow it live. The most emblematic? The children of San Ildefonso, who are in charge of singing the winning numbers.
As a curiosity, 22 December is also, unofficially, the Day of Health: in this way, people who do not win the lottery are appealing that, at least, they are in good health.
The Lotería del Niño is, after Christmas, the most important lottery draw in Spain.
Before becoming what we know today, the Sorteo del Niño was a series of draws held as early as the 19th century for charity, to fund a children’s hospital. The idea came from María del Carmen Hernández y Espinosa de los Monteros and in 1868 these games were known as El Niño.