GCM

Christmas really isn't the same as Britain - it lacks the atmosphere, mainly down to the weather I think - on the very positive side the lack of consumerism and materialism is a joy.

Mark

Carol&John

Hi,
Would this be a pinata (tilde above the letter "N")? When I was younger, we had birthday parties with pinatas - sometimes fancy, papier-mache donkeys stuffed with sweets, or a terracotta pot filled with sweets. Each child would have a turn to be blindfolded, turned around slowly and, holding on to a long stick, take a swipe at the hanging pinata. Sometimes it was better not to be the one blind-folded, because you could dive into the fallen sweets that much faster! Has this party game been banned?
Regards,
Carol
P.S. If there is a festival with a pretend bull, I'm guessing San Fermin?

keithwalters

Yes it is the piñata, but this is a Mexican thing, not spanish. I think it is for the Day of the Dead, but maybe also birthdays or Christmas.

Carol&John

In preparation for the Three Kings procession:
http://www.huelvainformacion.es/imag...asriotinto.jpg
Regards,
Carol

BritBull

It's warmer, duh.

helenp

You obviously live on the coast where it is warmer but inland it can get very cold and snow is common.

Helen

BritBull

Like Wigan.

helenp

Very true

anabella

Xmas go on longer in Spain and they are all about drinking, eating and spending time with family and friends. Presents are mainly for the little ones, and as we grow older they are not important..

We celebrate the 24th with a big dinner, the 25th with a big lunch, the 31st with a big dinner (then wait until midnight to start the year eating 12 grapes watching the clock from the "Puerta del Sol" in Madrid on TV, or go to your city/town's main square with your grapes and have them there) after midnight we get ready and go out, usually at @1am, the 1st with a big lunch.. the 5th of Jan with a big dinner and the 6th of Jan with a big lunch. Drinking vast amounts of wine and champagne (cava) is in order during all these lunches and dinners and most people go out to the pub just before dinner/lunch to have yet some some champagne with friends/relatives.. All of these might sound really outrageous but I promise it's very accurate.. Dinner time is 10pm and lunch time is 3pm..

Some people have Santa (Papa Noel) coming on xmas eve.. but most people only give presents on the 6th of Jan.. when the 3 kings come (Epiphany). As you have children you need to remember that there are always parades (in every town and city) on the 5th of Jan in the evening.. where your children will get to see the 3 kings and they will get sweeties (the sweeties will be thrown at them by the kings from their carriages.. they'll love this..

The 26th is a normal working day is Spain.. now, can somebody explain to me why it's called "Boxing day" in the UK? is it something to do with boxing the sport? or putting away boxes from the presents the day before? after spending 11 years in the UK I never found anyone that gave me a definite answer about this..

keithwalters

Very good question!! I don't think you will ever get a definite answer. Just take a look at what wikipedia says:

There are disparate theories as to the origins of the term. The more common stories include:

...In feudal times, Christmas was a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on December 26th, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day.

...In Britain many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day.

...In churches, it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that one gigantic lockbox in which the donations were left.

...In Britain because many servants had to work for their employers on Christmas Day they would instead open their presents (i.e., boxes) the next day, which therefore became known as Boxing Day.
Boxing Day was the day when the wren, the king of birds, was captured and put in a box and introduced to each household in the village when he would be asked for a successful year and a good harvest. See Frazer's Golden Bough.

...Evidence can also be found in Wassail songs such as:
Where are you going ? said Milder to Malder,
Oh where are you going ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said Milder to Malder,
I'm going to hunt the cutty wren said John the Rednose.
And what will you do wi' it ? said Milder to Malder,
And what will you do wi' it ? said Fessel to Foe,
I'll put it in a box said Milder to Malder,
I'll put it in a box said John the Rednose.
etc.

dazzle

Have a look here

http://www.didyouknow.cd/xmas/boxingday.htm

helenp

I particularly like the idea of all the drink consumed yes just up my street.

Helen

jonsol

I see the Daily Mail, last Saturday, did an excellant full page article on Christmas in Spain, mentioning most of the things that have been said here.

lynnxa

our kings arrive by boat from the sea and parade through town on horseback, with their helpers throwing sweets to the kids

then all the kids form a huge queue up to a stage where the kings are giving out pressies - they all get to have a chat with a king & a pressie - all free

it's a bloody nightmare & takes ages but I wouldn't dream of not staying for it - the kids would kill me!


Boxing Day.....I was told at school it's because Queen Victoria used to gve her servants their gifts (in boxes) the day after christmas

anabella

I bet your kids love that! I lived inland so the Kings couldn't come by boat..