In this blog post, Santa visits Spain and discovers some Spanish Christmas traditions.
Normally, many northerners come to Spain on holiday during the winter season. As we all know, this year is a bit special and the freedom to travel and move without any issues is not to be taken for granted. Many of you might otherwise have come here and visited and also taken the opportunity to look at some homes and then maybe buy a home in the sun in 2021.
Someone who can travel however – wherever and whenever he wants – is Santa and his reindeers. Fortunately, Santa thought of you Spain-hungry people and decided to take a tour and visit the country for you. He took the opportunity have some fun while he also learned about some Spanish Christmas traditions. Last but not least, he also has some housing tips for you further down below! Do not miss them!
Santa does not normally visit Spain
According to Spanish tradition, Santa Claus does not come to Spain. Instead, Spanish children receive their gifts from the three wise men. In Spanish, however, they are kings and are called Reyes Magos (which directly translates to King Wizards).
They also do not come on December 24th or 25th as Santa Claus. Spanish children have to wait until January 6th, which is the Day of the Epiphany when the Reyes Magos come with big parades through the cities. The three wise men ride on top of rafts and throw sweets to the people who gather around the parade. These fleets are called cabalgatas.
Traditional Cake – The Royal Crown
On the day or evening before the Reyes Magos come with their parade, it’s a tradition to eat a cake called Roscón de Reyes which symbolizes the crown of the kings.
When each family member bites the cake for the first time, they cross their fingers and hope to find a small ceramic toy. Whoever gets the bite with the toy will have a happy and lucky year to come! However, if you are unlucky enough to bite into the bean instead, you have to pay for next year’s cake.
Caga Tío – A Catalan Tradition
Catalonia in northern Spain has its own unique Christmas traditions. The tradition you’re about to read about is a bit odd.
Every December, Catalan families decorate a log and paints a faces on it and gives it legs made of sticks. It’s stored inside the house or in the garden, covered with a blanket to keep it from getting cold. This log is called Caga Tió which literally means “the shit uncle”.
On Christmas day, children gather around the log and start beating it with sticks. As they knock on the log with their sticks, they sing a song asking the Caga Tío to pop out candy for them. When the show is over, they pull back the blanket to discover a hidden treasure chest filled with candy!
Christmas dip!
Christmas in Spain is nice, but Santa also came here to take a break and recharge his batteries after this year’s Christmas present distribution. In December, it’s not really the best weather for swimming in the sea, but for someone who lives in the North Pole, a dip in the Mediterranean is always exotic and wonderful! Some of the winter days can be hot in the summer allowing you to lie and sunbathe for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. If you are in southern Spain, it’s usually around 18 degrees in the water, which is dip-friendly for some (like Santa).
Christmas Coziness – Don’t Forget to Take a Break
After a long and very interesting year, it is now time to take it easy, eat and drink well and just be by yourself or with loved ones. No matter where or with whom you are, winter is a good time to cuddle and take it easy. Santa takes a break too and believe you should do the same. Feliz Navidad from Spain!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of you readers -from us at MiMove!