FELIZ NAVIDAD Y próspero año nuevo

Christmas decorations In Spain people decorate their houses with el Belén (the nativity scene) and a Christmas tree.

On the 24th December children go together singing villancicos (Spanish Christmas carols) from house to house. They ask for el aguinaldo, which is the money given in Christmas.

Those are some of the instruments used for singing the villancicos Zambomba Pandereta Cascabel

Christmas Eve In Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) families get together to have dinner. They usually have soup, seafood, eggs, cheese and ham ... The traditional Christmas sweets are turrón (noughat), polvorón (powdery cookie) and mazapán (marzipan).

Christmas Day Santa doesn't bring presents to Spanish children. This is because Santa is very busy bringing presents to children in England. But don't worry, Spanish children will get presents from the Three Wise Men later on!

The Day of the Innocent The 28th December is Spanish April fool's day! On that day people make jokes to each other and they say “¡Inocente!”

New Year's Eve In Nochevieja families get together to have dinner and at midnight they watch the campanadas (the twelve bell rings)‏ onTV or they go to the town hall square. With every bell ring they eat a grape and they make a wish.

The Three Wise Men On the 5th January at night the Three Wise Men arrive to Spain in their camels from the Far East to leave presents to Spanish families. People welcome them in their cities with big parades and the Three Wise Men throw sweets as they make their way.

Spanish children write letters to them saying how they have behaved during the year and what they would like to get. On the night of the 5th children clean their shoes and leave them by the Christmas tree or the Nativity scene. They also leave food and water for the Three Wise Men and their camels.

On the 6th January Children will get presents if they have behaved otherwise they will get some coal. Afterwards they have hot chocolate and roscón de reyes for breakfast.