Christmas and New Year in Spain

Christmas in Spain is a wonderful time of year that people across the country eagerly look forward to. As December approaches, cities begin to change: festive lights are switched on, squares and streets are decorated, Christmas markets appear, and the first nativity scenes are set up in homes and public places.

The festive atmosphere here is not limited to a few days at the end of December. There are special dates, customs and family rituals of their own, which together create the unique character of the festive season.

How Christmas is celebrated in Spain

Preparations for the main celebrations of the year begin as early as November, and gradually it feels as though the streets of large and small towns are turning into scenes from a Christmas film. The lights come on, Christmas music fills the air, shop windows become brighter, and supermarkets fill with mountains of festive sweets and gift sets containing cava, ham, cheeses and other Spanish delicacies. The cheerful pre-Christmas bustle begins: presents need to be chosen, the festive table planned, and Christmas is getting closer by the day.

Christmas nativity scenes — Belén

One of the most recognisable Spanish Christmas traditions is the Belén, or nativity scene. In homes, churches, squares and public buildings, entire miniature worlds appear, with figures of Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus, shepherds, the Magi, animals and Christmas scenes.

The tradition came to Spain from Italy and spread particularly widely in the 18th century thanks to King Charles III, who had been King of Naples before ascending the Spanish throne and was fascinated by the art of creating nativity scenes. Gradually, belenes spread beyond the royal court and aristocratic homes and became part of Christmas culture throughout the country.

In Spain you can see all kinds of belenes — from small home displays to enormous town scenes created by skilled craftsmen and entire associations of belenistas. Many of them aim not simply to depict biblical events, but to create a whole living world with houses, streets, craftsmen, animals and everyday scenes. This is why visiting a large Belén often becomes a Christmas outing in its own right.

This tradition is particularly visible in Barcelona, where the famous Fira de Santa Llúcia takes place in front of the cathedral. This Christmas market has existed since 1786 and has long been one of the city's main Christmas traditions. Here you can buy Belén figures, Christmas trees, decorations, handmade crafts and other festive goods. Among the Catalan traditions represented at the market, you can also see the Tió de Nadal — a fun Christmas log that is especially popular with children.

El Gordo Christmas Lottery

One of the first major events of the Christmas season is the Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad, which takes place on 22 December. The first prize in this lottery is known as El Gordo, and in Spain it is much more than an ordinary draw: décimos are bought by relatives, friends, colleagues and entire groups, and people literally follow the results together.

The tradition has become so deeply rooted in the country's festive life that the morning of 22 December is a special moment for many people. The draw lasts around three and a half hours, and the numbers and prizes are traditionally drawn from two lottery drums. On this day, the Christmas spirit reaches a new high — some people hope for a stroke of luck, others check their décimo, while others simply follow the draw with their loved ones.

A single décimo costs 20 euros, so tickets are often shared between relatives, friends or colleagues. As a result, the same number may belong to a large number of people, turning a win into a truly shared celebration.

Nochebuena — family evening on 24 December

On the evening of 24 December, Nochebuena, Spanish cities become noticeably quieter: families hurry home to spend one of the most important evenings of the year together. At home, the festive table is laid, the lights are switched on, bottles of cava are opened, and after dinner nobody is in a hurry to leave — there is still a long evening ahead with loved ones.

Christmas Eve dinner is a special occasion to bring out the very best. The menu depends on the region and family traditions, but seafood, ham, cheeses, meat or fish often feature on the table, followed by a whole selection of Christmas sweets. You can find more about traditional Christmas dishes in Spain in a separate article.

After midnight, some worshippers attend Misa del Gallo — the traditional Christmas Mass. Its name translates as “Mass of the Rooster” and is linked to the ancient tradition of celebrating the birth of Christ on the night of 25 December. For those who do not follow religious traditions, the evening continues at home or with friends.

Christmas Day on 25 December

On 25 December, Spain celebrates Navidad itself — Christmas Day, traditionally spent with family. Loved ones gather around the festive table again, exchanging greetings, chatting and enjoying Christmas meals, while the home retains the special atmosphere of the previous days.

For children, Christmas morning can also be filled with presents, although there is an important feature of the Spanish tradition: in many families, the main day for giving presents will not come until several weeks later, on 6 January, when the Reyes Magos arrive. This is why the Christmas season in Spain continues beyond 25 December.

How New Year is celebrated in Spain

New Year in Spain can be celebrated in different ways. For some, Nochevieja is primarily a family evening at home, with a festive dinner and close relatives. Others prefer to welcome the New Year noisily: after dinner, they head to festive events, bars, restaurants or clubs, where music, dancing and celebrations continue well into the night. But whatever the evening's plans, at midnight the whole country seems to unite for a few moments around one tradition that is hard to imagine Spanish Nochevieja without.

12 grapes and the midnight chimes

At midnight on 31 December comes the main ritual of Spanish Nochevieja — 12 grapes. One grape is eaten with each chime of the clock, with people wishing for good luck and prosperity for each of the twelve months of the new year. This moment takes place across the country at the same time: some people follow the chimes on television at home, while others head to the town square to welcome the New Year together with neighbours and friends.

However, the idea that all of Spain takes to the streets at midnight would not be entirely accurate. In large cities, huge crowds do gather — the best-known example is, of course, Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where thousands of people welcome the New Year to the chimes of the famous clock. In Valencia, people gather in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where their own campanadas take place, followed by fireworks after midnight. Smaller towns may hold their own celebrations near the ayuntamiento or in the main square: grapes are handed out, music is played, greetings are exchanged and sometimes a small festive firework display is also held.

And in some places, things happen quite differently. After dinner, the streets may become almost completely deserted, bars close, and it is quiet behind the windows — families welcome midnight at home. So 31 December in Spain can look completely different depending on where you are: from a crowd of thousands in a central square to almost empty streets in a small town.

After the final chime comes the time for New Year's greetings and the first toast of the year. In large cities, bottles of cava are opened, music plays, people shout «¡Feliz Año Nuevo!», hug and wish each other a happy New Year. In some smaller towns, a more modest option may be served at an organised celebration instead of cava — for example, sweet cider or another festive drink. What matters here is not so much what exactly is in the glass, but the moment of welcoming the New Year itself.

Cotillón and celebrations until morning

It is hard to imagine New Year's Eve in Spain without cotillón — festive accessories and a touch of carnival spirit. Confetti, paper hats, masks, party blowers and other fun little extras appear at home celebrations, in restaurants, hotels and organised New Year's Eve parties.

Some people put on a funny hat, others shower their friends with confetti, and photographs taken in these festive accessories become part of family and friends' memories. As a result, an ordinary New Year's Eve party takes on a slightly carefree and carnival-like character.

After welcoming the New Year, the celebrations are only just getting started for many people. In large cities, special New Year's Eve parties get underway, bars and clubs fill with music and dancing, and restaurants continue their festive programmes well past midnight. However, like Nochevieja itself, this tradition also depends very much on the city and the company: in some places the night really does continue until dawn, while elsewhere the best way to end the celebrations is with a quiet walk home after exchanging greetings with loved ones.

Three Kings' Day — Los Reyes Magos

In Spain, the Christmas celebrations do not end on 25 December, and even after New Year's Eve they are in no hurry to give way to ordinary life. The final, and for many people especially eagerly awaited, part of the festive season is Día de Reyes — Three Kings' Day, celebrated on 6 January. For many Spanish families, this is the holiday associated with children's biggest anticipation: during the night, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar bring presents, leaving them for the children who have been waiting for their arrival since the evening.

But first comes the evening of 5 January. In cities and smaller towns, Cabalgatas de Reyes — festive processions — take place, with the Three Kings travelling through the streets with their entourage. Their arrival is accompanied by music, decorated floats, lights and excited crowds, while sweets are thrown to children from some of the floats. In large cities, these processions become spectacular large-scale shows, whereas in smaller towns and villages they may be much more modest, but the anticipation remains the same.

After the Cabalgata, the children return home, leave their shoes out and go to bed, looking forward to the morning. Then, on the morning of 6 January, the moment they have been waiting for all evening finally arrives: presents from the Reyes Magos appear under or beside the Christmas tree. For many Spanish children, this day, rather than 25 December, is the main gift-giving day of Christmas. The tradition has become such a deeply rooted part of the country's festive culture that the whole preceding week seems to lead up to this morning.

This day also has its own special festive dessert — Roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped cake traditionally eaten on 6 January. A small figurine is hidden inside, and in some traditions, a dried bean as well. Whoever finds the figurine may be given the symbolic role of king or queen for the day, while whoever finds the bean traditionally pays for the next Roscón. This is how the long Spanish Christmas season comes to an end: after the lights, family dinners, New Year's celebrations and festive processions, the final day of the holidays arrives, and only after that does Spain finally return to its usual rhythm.

What else is interesting to learn about Spain

Christmas is just one of the traditions that help you experience the character of Spain. If you would like to continue discovering the country's culture, celebrations and everyday life, there are several other interesting topics worth exploring.

• Traditional Spanish dishes — an introduction to the national cuisine, popular products and dishes that have become part of everyday and festive culture in different regions of the country.
• Markets in Spain — traditional mercados, local produce, handicrafts and an opportunity to see a more everyday side of Spanish cities.
• Semana Santa in Spain — another major festive period in the country, with religious processions, local traditions and a special atmosphere in different cities.
• What is Spain famous for? — the country's best-known features, from culture and architecture to gastronomy, festivals and lifestyle.