1. Spanish Christmas customs

2. Traditions of Spain
 incredibly elaborate "Nacimientos" (nativity scenes) in homes and in the main plazas
Also referred to as
“el belén”
Belén = Bethlehem

3. La Nochebuena Pedir el aguinaldo
Children go singing Christmas carols to different houses of neighbors and friends
After listening, the home owner gives some small treats and a little money as a “tip” or “bonus”

4. La Nochebuena Tiny oil lamps are lighted in windows
Families get together in a relative’s house to visit and celebrate
Meal eaten late
before midnight mass
Adults may exchange gifts

5. Traditional Food
A main dish of meat (truffle stuffed turkey, lamb, ham) or seafood
Depends on the region and family preference
Turrón - Nougat
Mazapan - sugar, honey & almond meal made into candy.
Polvorones - crumbly cakes.
Mantecados - another crumbly type of cake.
Yema - a type of marzipan, made with egg.

6. Christmas Eve is called Nochebuena meaning the Good Night.
La Misa Del Gallo
This traditional church service takes place on Christmas Eve when family celebrations are interrupted at midnight by the ringing of church bells calling the people to the
Mass of the Rooster –
La Misa Del Gallo
Christmas Eve is called Nochebuena meaning the Good Night.
The service gets its name because it is said that the only time when a Rooster crowed at midnight was on the day
that Jesus was born.
One of the most beautiful services is held at the monastery of Montserrat, high in the mountain near Barcelona, the highlight of which is the amazing singing by the boys’ choir.

7. Other interesting Spanish Christmas customs!

8. Hogueras
This tradition comes from a time before Christmas itself and takes place on the 21st December.
It was originally a pagan ritual to mark The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, and the arrival of winter.
Hogueras involves people jumping over lighted fires in the hope that it would protect them from illness
over the coming months which would have proved a difficult time for them.
Hogueras means bonfires
This fire-jumping can be seen mainly in Granada and Jaen.

9. El Día de los Inocentes
“Holy Innocents' Day” is a day in which everyone young and old becomes wary that they may be the innocent soul that gets duped by friends.
People play jokes and pranks on each other as much as possible. The most traditional joke is to put a white paper doll on people’s backs. Another tradition is a television program in which celebrities from film and television are made the butt of jokes, with the purpose of raising money for a good cause.

10. Un “inocente”

11. Ater the grapes, festivities continue with fireworks and parties
La Nochevieja
Hours before midnight on New Years Eve, tens of thousands of people gather in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol to await the chimes of the clock on the tower which dominates the Spanish capital’s central square. The excitement builds up as the magic hour approaches. Finally, at the stroke of midnight , everyone will eat twelve grapes, one for each chime, and make wishes for the new year.
Ater the grapes, festivities continue with fireworks and parties
So important is the grape-eating tradition in Spain thatyou can find these ready-made-for-two packages of grapes, each can with 12 peeled-and-deseeded grapes

12. Wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve for good luck!
Another interesting New Year’s Eve tradition…
Wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve for good luck!

13. El Día de Reyes
On the 5th of January, the Eve of Epiphany, there are parades in most towns marking the arrival of the three kings, who are believed to have passed through Spain on their way to see baby Jesus. The Three Kings ride on floats throwing candy to the children. 
The three kings appear all over Spain in the run up to Christmas in hospitals and orphanages etc. It
is believed that
Balthazar is the king who brings the gifts.
The children place shoes, filled with straw, carrots and barley for the donkeys, on their windowsills and hope that when they wake on el Día de Reyes January 6 the food will have been replaced by gifts.
Video de los Tres Reyes Magos