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Christmas - Five Fascinating Facts

An old vintage Spanish Christmas Stamp from 1977 © istockphoto
An old vintage Spanish Christmas Stamp from 1977

Christmas - Five Fascinating Facts

by Fiona Flores Watson

If you've never spent Christmas in Andalucia before, then you're in for a treat. From the joyous musical specialities of the season, to festive decorations both traditional and contemporary, it is a great time to be in southern Spain. Eat, drink and be merry - and dance round a bonfire in a pagan ritual, if you're really lucky.

  • Fact 1 - Christmas carols Andaluz style. Seasonal songs;Villancicos, zambombas, and other musical offerings.
  • Fact 2 - Grapes of Nocheviej. Midnight express; an unmissable fruity New Year's Eve tradition in Spain.
  • Fact 3 - DIY Andalucian Christmas. Everything you need to make your house into a genuine seasonal Andaluz home.
  • Fact 4 - Baby Jesus in a manger. Belen (not Esteban): The holy family, the animals, the shepherds - and the man having a poop.
  • Fact 5 - Fire festivals burning bright: Festive fire festivals in Andalucia.
  • Christmas - Fascinating Facts
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SEASONAL SONGS: Villancicos, zambombas, and other festive songs ©istockphoto SEASONAL SONGS: Villancicos, zambombas, and other festive songs
Christmas - Fascinating Fact 1

Villancicos, zambombas, and other musical. Flamenco, the music and dance form of Andalucia, has influenced, and become fused with, many other different types of music, from jazz to classical.… More →

The Lucky Grapes. this tradition consists of eating one grape for each stroke of midnight © Istockphoto The Lucky Grapes. this tradition consists of eating one grape for each stroke of midnight
Fascinating Facts - Fact 2

On New Year's Eve (Nochevieja), families gather together again, for a big meal - they have to be finished by midnight (or, if they've gone out, be back home), so that they can eat the all-… More →

Christmas is just not Christmas without your turrón. Feliz Navidad! © istockphoto Christmas is just not Christmas without your turrón. Feliz Navidad
Fascinating Facts - Fact 3

To make your house look like a real, traditional, with-bells-on Andalucian Christmas home, you need the following: a belen, a pointsettia, a small red plant (also known as flor de pascua, Easter… More →

Almost every Spanish home has a navitity scene in pride of place at Christmas.© istockphoto Almost every Spanish home has a navitity scene in pride of place at Christmas.
Fascinating Facts - Fact 4

Many schools, offices, shops and home have a belen (nativity scene, literally Bethlehem; sometimes they do indeed have the entire town), still an important aspect of Christmas festivities in… More →

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Fascinating Facts - Fact 5

Fire festivals - Burning Bright Festive fire festivals in Andalucia. In December, as well as traditional Christmas celebrations, did you know that many Andalucian towns and villages host festive… More →

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Fascinating Facts