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Spanish Wednesday: 22nd December 2010 - A special guide to the festive season in Spain, with added vocabulary

Published by Amandoloss

Hello and welcome! Once again, it's time for the favourite feature you all have been waiting for the whole week long. This Spanish post is going to be a bit different than the others, because since there are only two more days till Christmas, I decided to make it all about Christmas in Spain. There isn't that much news anyway, except that on this coming Sunday Alonso is going to run through the streets of Oviedo. Jaime is travelling, and on Saturday Raul scored a second hattrick for Schalke 04 in this season. This means it has been his 756th goal. 756!

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer played each other in Zürich in a charity match for The Roger Federer Foundation and the chaps raised 2.5 million Euro. Roger won, though. The two players will meet at La Caja Magica in Madrid on Wednesday with proceeds going to the Rafa Nadal Fundacion. You can watch it on Eurosport at 7pm.

And that will be all news from Spain and surrounding countries. Now it's time for a small guide to Christmas in Spain.

The Christmas Eve (Noche Buena)

Christmas Eve is a family affair. Proceedings are interrupted at midnight by the chimes of the local church, calling worshippers to the 'misa del gallo' (Mass of the Rooster). It's so named because it is said that a rooster crowded on the night Jesus was born. The biggest 'misa del gallo' is at the Benedictine monastery at Montserrat near Barcelona.

Adults exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and kids will often get a little something, but the young 'uns have to wait until January 6 for that new Playstation iPad.

Christmas Day (Navidad)

Traditionally, it is also a family day, however in recent years more and more people have started eating in restaurants on Christmas Day. Restaurants advertise their Christmas menu well in advance. It is usually possible to book until quite late, but at least give them a chance to book the ingredients! To guarantee your place, the morning of the 24th is probably about as late as you can leave it.

By the evening of the 25th, most shops and bars are open again and these days more and more youths have started going out on the town.

Santos Inocentes

Spain's version of April Fools' Day is the 28th December. The day, observed in Spain (especially the southern areas) and parts of Latin America, is observed in much the same way as April Fools' Day. But when the prankster is ready to reveal the joke, the saying is "¡Inocente, inocente!" or "Innocent one, innocent one!"

Here is the short Spanish lesson - Christmas edition.

EnglishSpanish
Christmasla Navidad
Christmas treeel árbol de Navidad
Santa ClasPapá Noel
Christmas marketmercado navideño / mercado de Navidad
Christmas carolel aguinaldo / el villancico
Christmas carduna tarjeta de Navidad
a giftun regalo
wrapping paperembalaje para regalo
sweetslas chucherías / las golosinas
biscuitslast galletas
snowa nieve
chaosel caos
familyla familia

And last but not least "Merry Christmas" is "Feliz Navidad." I hope you don't mind missing the F1-related Spanish vocabulary and enjoyed the Special edition. I shall see you in the comments and wish you all (Spanish speaking or not) Feliz Navidad!

All content in the series Spanish Wednesday