How Christmas is celebrated in Spain
Ever wonder how Christmas is celebrated in Spain? Well, the same as with other global festivals and holidays, Spanish people also celebrate Christmas a bit differently than the well-known US traditions.
In Spain, Christmas is a 2-week-long holiday season where people start to celebrate on December 24th and it ends on January 6th. Each year in the first weeks of December the Christmas markets in Spain take their places on the squares or city ports. The streets are adorned with Christmas lights, the shops are decorated with Christmas-themed ornaments. Aside from the decorations, here are the other interesting facts about Christmas in Spain.
Don’t be surprised if you cannot see Santa Claus everywhere.
Yes, Santa Claus is pretty popular in the US and Europe but he is not the most significant figure in Spain.
Christmas trees are a bit different in Spain.
When we say Christmas, we always imagine a green Christmas tree in the picture. Instead of plastic-made or actual living trees in Spain, you may come across conic-shaped monumental ornaments adorned with multi-colored lights.
The conic shape starting to expand from the top to the ground resembles the stylized version of a Christmas tree. It may not be the same as the traditional Christmas trees but their colorful and enchanting aura still deploys the joyous Christmas spirit.
Belen displays are a must-have.
Belen displays contain the nativity scene from the bible when the baby Jesus was born. In the following, Three Wise Men sees the iconic star of Bethlehem above the birthplace of the leader of Christians and hit the road to present their gifts to baby Jesus. The scene includes Joseph, Virgin Mary, baby Jesus, farm animals, and sometimes even the Three Wise Men.
Belen figurines are exhibited on the streets, and in shop windows, and nearly every religious family showcases miniature Belen displays in their homes.
We need lots of lights!
The light shows are as important as in any other country when it comes to Christmas decorations in Spain. Streets are usually enlivened by the enormous Christmas decorations wrapped with multi-colored lights.
There’s so much to talk about this exciting holiday, but it’s always best to experience it yourself. In this way, you can see for yourself that a regular day in Spain is nearly as colorful as these joyous festivals.