Nativity scenes, Christmas trees, and representations of the Three Wise Men are common Christmas decorations in Spanish homes and churches. Traditional Spanish Christmas sweets include turrón (almond candy), roscón de reyes (cake with a figurine hidden inside), and polvorones y mantecadas (soft cakes made with lard and flour). On January 6th, the tradition is that the Three Wise Kings bring presents to children and a roscón is eaten, which may contain a figurine or bean. Lotteries also take place on this day.

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Other people decorate
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international Christmas
tree or they set both of
them

3. TURRÓN: An almond
based tablet in two
versions, hard and
soft.
Currently there are a
lot more versions
ROSCÓN DE REYES:
A cake that is
traditionally eaten on
January 6th.
POLVORONES Y MANTECADOS: Soft crumbly Hidden inside the cake
cakes made mainly of lard and flour there is a king figure,
for the "winner" and a
bean, for the "loser"
MAZAPANES:
Popular figurines
made of almonds,
sugar and eggs

4. According to the Spanish tradition, the Three Wise Kings are the
ones who bring presents for all the children in the morning of
January 6th.
However, nowadays many families also follow the Father Chrismas
tradition, on December 25th, because this way their children have
more time to play with their toys
AcAccordinttttt
The Three Kings Parade on the evening of January 5th

5. In the morning of this day
the most famous lottery
draw, "El Gordo", takes
place.
Almost everybody buys
either a number or fractions
and subfractions of different
numbers, which increases
the chances of a share in the
winning

6. ● Children go from house to house ● New Year's Eve dinner is not so familiar
asking for money or sweets and and many people meet either at home
they usually have to sing a or elsewhere to have a big dinner and
Christmas Carol to get the prize. then eat the 12 lucky grapes,one at each
This is called "pedir el aguinaldo" stroke of the bells at midnight, to secure
12 happy months in the coming year
● Families gather to have dinner
together (turkey, lamb leg or fish in
the oven). There are always a lot of
appetiziers like "jamón" and
seafood. ● The traditions says that you must wear
something RED on this night

7. La MISA DEL GALLO is a midnight mass
celebrated on Chrismas Eve. It is a religious
tradition for all the Spanish speaking
countries.
This because a rooster is supposed to have
crowed the night that Jesus was born
"EL DÍA DE LOS SANTOS INOCENTES"
takes place on December 28th. It is equivalent
to the April's Fool Day
FIRECRACKERS: Just after the strokes for
the New Year, many people go out to the
streets to set off their firecrakers or fireworks
On January 6th, according to the tradition,
bad kids may get coal instead of gifts. This fact
never happens. However, some naughty
children may get a piece of COAL CANDY
together with their presents.

8. The traditional Christmas
Carols_villancicos,as we called
them_ are also very popular all
around Spain.
Some of them are just translatios of
English versions
Many others are typical Spanish or
from Spanish speaking countries.
In our region_Andalucía_ some of the most popular carols get a "flamenco"
flavour or they have "flamenco" roots.
There are many choirs that sing in benefit meetings where you can also get
some home made food and drink. This meeting is named ...
after one of the seasonal musical instruments: La zambomba.
Here you can see and hear some examples of this kind of "villancicos"
Christmas Carols contest in Jerez Villancico rociero "Cantaba José"