22 de diciembre

1. 22 de diciembre El gordo= the fat oneIt’s the name for the famous national Christmas lottery in Spain, which is drawn on the 22 December every year.

2. 24 de diciembre Christmas Eve is called La Nochebuena.This is when all families gather for a big celebration meal in the evening. Lots of Cava (Spanish champagne) is drunk. Most families will go to midnight mass service in church (la misa del gallo).

3. 25 de diciembre El día de Navidad– Christmas DayThis is a quieter family day. Lots of families go to church again and then have a lunchtime meal. Most families will have un belén(a nativity scene) in their homes.

4. 28 de diciembre El día de los inocentes– day of the innocents = the equivalent of our April Fools’ Day. People make paper cutouts like this and try to stick them to each other’s back without being detected, for a joke.

5. 31 de diciembre La Nochevieja= New Year’s EveAt 12 o’clock, everyone listens to the 12 x gongs of the clock in Madrid’s town square and each 12 grapes, one on each gong.

6. 1 de enero El roscónde Reyes is a traditional cake in the shape of a ring, eaten on New Year’s Day. There is a small figure hidden in it. Whoever gets the piece with the figure has to make the roscón for next year. It’s good luck!

7. 5 de enero The 3 kings (3 Reyes) parade through the streets of every town on 5th January. Instead of stockings, children put their shoes (los zapatos) outside their bedroom door, when they go to bed.

8. 6 de enero Children get presents (los regalos) on the 6th January in Spain.