hellokittty

Is it too early to ask what people are doing for christmas this year....?

(hope I'm not sparking off a backlash off people here who hate mentions of christmas too early in the year...!!)

It will be our first christmas in spain and I wondered what you other expats usually do - same as in england or something different?

Do you get decorations and buy 'traditional' christmas food?

mikelincs

You can buy 'traditional' Christmas food, BUT, it will cost a lot more, Turkey is NOT traditional at Christmas here, neither is the huge food excesses of the UK, certainly not in the shops, you will find things, but not until December in Spanish shops, Brit supermarkets are already stocking up. Just do what you want to..

XTreme

Abusing some dumbass Brits hopefully!

SueG

Going back to England to spend it with our Son - he has been out here twice and says its our turn to go to him and he is cooking the Christmas dinner

aspeangel

The Spanish do eat Turkey at crimbo, but not roasted in the same way as us, so you will find them (albeit not as large as ours are in UK) in Carrefour or local butchers. In the past 3 years here i have also noticed that trying to go shopping on Xmas eve is impossible, and the larger shops are now opening on Sundays in December in the run up to Crimbo too, so its all getting just as commercial here! We now have 2 Christmas days, one on 25th as normal but another little Christmas on 6th Jan too! I love it, its great! This is our 3rd year that we have spent Christmas in Spain as opposed to going back to UK, but my parents are joining us this year so it'll be extra special!
Take care and Merry Christmas (its never too early to start!!) Aspeangel xx

brisca

Hello Kitty

I must admit I gave a groan when I saw the title of the thread
However, as it's your first Christmas here............................................

Firstly, I must explain that I am NOT a Christmassy person at all!
I loved Christmas as a child and as a young adult, but since my beloved Grandparents died 10 years ago, it has just never been the same
Now I can't get any enthusiasm up for it at all, and the commercialism of Christmas in the UK did my head in!
There, Vistor Meldrew / Ebenezer Scrooge moment over with!

It was our first Christmas here last year, and what I loved about it was that it wasn't even mentioned or thought about until 1st December
(I think that should be law in the UK too )

We didn't know what to expect, here in our quiet little village.
Well, as you may or may not know, it's 24th December here that is THE big day. (Nochebuena)
We set out at 3pm to take a few boxes of chocolates to people who'd been especially kind to us since our arrival......................and we finally made it home at 9 pm!!
Everywhere we went, we were plied with food and drink (and copious amounts of alcohol!)
Lots of our friends had other friends or family members around, and the whole atmosphere was really chilled out and relaxed (none of that frantic "have I got everything, what time do the shops finally shut, will Aunty Maud like the scarf I bought her" kind of panic!!)
In fact, I distinctly remember being amazed that at 4pm on Christmas Eve, we were sitting in our friend's garden in the sunshine - and I was so warm (the aniseed liqueuer did help! ) that I had to take my jumper off!

Another friend was busy preparing the traditional evening meal, but welcomed us with open arms and plentiful chocolates, whilst we sat around in her cosy warm kitchen.
She was preparing mainly seafood for their meal.

Everything was REALLY quiet here by about 10 pm, which was when all the families gathered to eat together.
I understand that the adults do exchange small gifts, but the children's big day is Los Tres Reyes (The Three Kings) which happens on the night of 5th January - that's when they get their presents.
Apparently, the Father Christmas tradition is creeping its way in too, and some children here receive presents on both days. However, the majority celebrate 5th January. (I have some wonderful photos of the kids in our village collecting their presents on that night; such heart warming innocence )

Round about midnight on Christmas Eve, we were invited to our friends' house, where we drank, sang, chatted and played a traditional home-made instrument, before heading off to the bar at about 2 am - and then finally getting home at about 4.30 am!

Anyway, to finally answer your question...............25th December itself was very refreshing!
It was just like a normal Sunday here; church service and then all off to the bar to socialise (whole families)
We spent the day walking with our dog in the countryside (having had a well deserved lie-in!) and then had egg and chips for tea!!! (Yes, I AM serious!)
It was great!
We don't bother with presents anyway, so it was just like a regular weekend day....................with sunshine

I hope that whatever you do to celebrate makes you happy

PS If you think the Christmas holidays are long in the UK, you ain't seen nothing yet!!
Christmas here consists of that which I've just described, a repeat performance at New Year (Noche Vieja) and then the Three Kings Celebrations on 5th January.
I would advise that you get plenty of food and drink in:
a) because the shops (here anyway) are open very little during almost the entire period,
b) it's traditional to have sweets, chocolates, wine, liqueurs and cakes to offer visitors when they come calling.

Also, if you need to pay any bills or do any banking, make sure you've done it all by about 21st December. After that, you've got no hope of anything happening until about 8th January!
Obviously, things might be a bit different where you are; but here there's very definitely the "fiesta" mindset throughout this period!

hellokittty

Thanks for all your replies, really interesting to read them and hear about your experiences - thanks for the tips Brisca, as knowing us we would probably try to go to the supermarket between xmas and new year and find it deserted...!

We don't have any kids yet so we don't need to worry about which day santa comes, thankfully!

Although I'm afraid that despite being 26 I do still get excited about xmas and look forward to all the festivities - the novelty hasn't worn off for me yet

I won't be attempting to cook a turkey but xmas wouldn't be xmas without a mince pie, so hoping to find some!

brisca

Ah yes, well I admit to being a cynical, boring old git now, I'm afraid!!

I'm sure you'll find there's a bit more action and availability in (on?) Ibiza around this time, than there is here!

Hope you have a great time, and that it's a Christmas to remember.
Maybe you could post about your experiences?
Hey, maybe we all could??

Anyway, enough already about b****y Christmas!!!!

Eve

Anyway, enough already about b****y Christmas!!!!

Yes i second that, we have had christmas things in the shops now for more than a few weeks, no wonder we all get fed up with it, but at least I have not heard Slade yet!!!! Although that songs has a brilliant memory for me from my first year of studying spanish at our Christmas night out!! So I can never say I hate the song but it does grate on me now just because we hear it so much, the shop assistants must all wear ear plugs. Apart from that i do enjoy Christmas once it is here

Anyway have a happy one.
Luv Eve
xx

spain

have you ever thought about anger management

Relampago

The turkeys that are sold in the butcher (at least here, in Spain) don't allow to grow more, they should have a certain size, but the turkeys that I have raised in my farm (we buy them of March to April, when they are tiny) they are enormous, and to cut them in pieces takes some hours

I have never eaten turkeys of black coat, surprisingly. They were of white coat, they become bigger. With the chickens, I tell you exactly the same thing as for the size

hellokittty

Know what you mean about that Slade song - overkill or what!

Although having said that, I have worked in 2 different shops over different christmases and never got TOO bored of the christmas music (well, maybe just a little)

I quite like the whole build-up excitement and atmosphere, writing cards by the fire with a mince pie and a mulled wine, late night shopping with all the lights and music and free port samples in M&S...

I know it's commercialised and over the top, but I enjoy it

Eve

We are just kids at heart!
Luv Eve
xx

mrsjdr

Very well put, well done

Regarding the original question, we have only been back to UK for Christmas once in the past few years, never again, all that hussle and bussle, so much better here, laid back, no over doing it, over eating, spending etc., etc., I was shocked when I heard from a friend recently that Christmas cards were in the shops over in the UK, that was August! We are Costa Del Sol, so many British shops and the Spanish ones have UK food, so can have traditional Christmas dinner, Dunnes are good, and stock everything you need for Christmas, but do not know if they are in Ibiza, also the butchers in Euromarket are excellent, always get our turkey there.

jeanc

We are going to spend our 1st christmas in spain aswell, i am really looking forward to it. We have been told that most people go down to the beach in the morning with food and drink and have picnics whilst the kids play with their toys ( must be the spanish kids because english ones have forgotten how to play!) Will be nice to be able to go for a meal and a drink and the children be welcome. Haven't been in a pub in UK at christmas for years even they charge admission on xmas and new years eve!