2. THE CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS-SPAIN Christmas Presents Spanish
tradition has it that the Three Kings, los Reyes Magos, are the
ones who on the morning of January 6th, el Da de Reyes, bear
presents for all the children, they changed the ritual by Papa Noel
because they said that the children so had more time to play with
gifts. Most Spanish people keep their fingers crossed for a
Christmas windfall, courtesy of the world-renowned lottery draw, El
Gordo, literally The Fat One. This is a long, drawn-out event that
unfolds on the morning of December 22nd. As the top prizes come
out, TV and radio coverage centres on the search for the many
winners and for the particular lottery shop where the winning
ticket was bought.
3. CHRISTMAS-SPAIN Food and Drink Christmas sweets are the main
seasonal staple. The nougat, is essential. The marzipan figurines,
are also popular, together with los polvorones, soft crumbly cakes
made with lard, flour and cinammon. The main meal takes place on
Christmas Eve, la Nochebuena, and consists of a major dish of meat
or seafood, such as lamb or cod, which varies according to the
region or the family's preferences. The 'lucky grapes', are the law
on New Year's Eve, - literally 'Old Night'. A tradition introduced
in the early 20th century, it's said to bring good luck if at each
stroke of the bells at midnight you take one grape and make one
wish, for the New Year.
4. CHRISTMAS-SPAIN Quirky Customs Celebrations stretch from
December 22nd, when the big lottery draw takes place, to January
6th, when the presents are unwrapped. Then, between Christmas Eve
and New Year's Eve, there's still time to fit in another
celebration. The equivalent of April's Fools Day takes place in
Spain on December 28th, Holy Innocents' day. Nativity scenes with
figurines are laid out on a table at home, with no limit to their
degree of elaboration. Life-size figures are also on display in
public squares and there are silent, living representations in
public halls. But in Catalua there's a surprising addition to the
crib: el caganer, which means, for want of a more offensive
translation, the defecating shepherd.
5. CHRISTMAS-FRENCH Christmas Presents In some parts of France,
Christmas comes early when Father Christmas, brings small gifts and
sweets for children on December 6th, the feast day of Saint-Nicolas
(celebrated in the North and Northeast). In other parts of the
country, children place their shoes by the fire and wake up on
Christmas Day to find them filled with presents from le Pre Nol and
fruit, nuts and small toys hanging on the tree. Christmas Day is
mainly a day of celebration for children. While they all open their
Christmas presents, on this day, not all parents do - some are
patient and wait until New Year's Eve, la Saint-Sylvestre, which is
more of an adult celebration.
6. CHRISTMAS-FRENCH Food and Drink After Midnight Mass on
Christmas Eve people gather at home or in a restaurant for a feast
called le rveillon. This usually consists of oysters, snails,
seafood, smoked salmon, or le caviar as a starter, followed by
goose, or some other roasted bird for the main course, all washed
down with wine.
7. CHRISTMAS-FRENCH Quirky Customs Saint-Nicolas has a partner,
Father Spanker, whose job it is to decide whether children have
been good or bad and 'reward' bad children with a spanking!
8. CHRISTMAS-GERMAN Christmas Presents Christmas starts early
in Germany. On the night of December 5th-6th, St. Nicholas Day,
children leave their shoes or boots outside the front door. That
night, Santa Claus, visits and fills them with chocolates, oranges
and nuts if theyve been good. Nikolaus also has a sidekick, in the
form of his servant Knecht Ruprecht, who leaves bundles of twigs in
the shoes if the children have been naughty and are listed in his
black book. In some parts of the country, its believed the Christ
Child, das Christkind sends a messenger on Christmas Eve, an angel
in a white robe and crown, bearing gifts. There's also a figure
called der Weihnachtsmann, who looks like Santa Claus and also
brings presents. In some homes, it's traditional for parents to
prepare a room for Christmas and then lock it up. A bell is rung as
a signal for children to enter the room where they are delighted to
find the tree lit up with presents awaiting them underneath it.
There are also fruit, nuts, marzipan, chocolate and biscuits to
eat, carols are sung, the Christmas story is read and children open
their presents.
9. CHRISTMAS-GERMAN Food and Drink The Germans often have
special baking evenings for making spiced cakes, cookies and
gingerbread houses. The German Christmas tree pastry, das
Christbaumgebck, is a white dough which is moulded into shapes and
baked to make tree decorations. On Christmas Eve, there's an
evening feast, generally of carp and potato salad - meat is avoided
for religious reasons. On Christmas Day the family tucks into
suckling pig or roasted goose, white sausage, macaroni salad, and
regional dishes, der Christstollen, long loaves of bread with nuts,
raisins, lemon and dried fruit, der Lebkuchen, ginger spice
cookies, das Marzipan and der Dresdner Stollen, a moist, heavy
bread filled with fruit and marzipan.
10. CHRISTMAS-GERMAN Quirky Customs Germans know it's New
Year's Eve when they watch a short British cabaret sketch from the
1920s on primetime TV. Strangely, 'Dinner for One or the 90th
Birthday' has become a German New Year's tradition, even though it
is unknown in Britain, where it was created!
