¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!

(Happy Christmas).

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  ¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!

(Happy New Year) 

If you are lucky enough to be in Spain during this period, "Feliz Navidad"   is a phrase  you will hear a great deal in the few days up to and including Christmas eve.  it will no doubt be said to you, more than once!, in return just say "igualmente" (which basically means the same to you), If you are feeling brave say "Feliz Navidad" first !.

Christmas in Spain is still a magic time, reflected in the faces of the children, (and the adults!) and long may it remain so. 

The build up Christmas doesn´t seem to start in the shops until the last week in November and even then everything seems to start gradually, everything seems more gentle and more fun here. All the villages and towns have their street decorations and Cómpeta is no exception, but the lights in Málaga are something to behold,  it is a must do visit. 

The Christmas flower of Spain is the Poinsettia. Wherever you go during this time, they adorn the windows of houses, roundabouts, shops etc, in fact everywhere, It looks lovely. The temperate climate here allows them to be grown outdoors.

The important days of Christmas for the Spanish are the 24th December "La Noche Buena" (the good night)  which celebrates the birth of Christ ( El Señor) and the 5/6th January "Los Reyes Magos" (three kings night) which celebrates the night and day when the three wise men took their gifts to Jesus.

December 24th (La Noche Buena)  It is when the Spanish have their celebration meal, and all the family get together, prior to going to mass. Nearly everything closes from about lunchtime, shops, restauraunts etc,  but will open again on Christmas day, (not a holiday in Spain) the time of opening depends on what time everyone went to bed the night before, so in some cases not at all!

December 31st/Jan 1st . New years eve is celebrated in Spain as in the rest of the world, Most towns have their firework displays and celebrate at midnight with Cava and the consumption of 12 grapes, which are supposed to be eaten during the 12 chimes at midnight ! Nerja has a fantastic firework display which is held on the Balcon de Europa 

    Fiesta de los Reyes

(Fiesta of the three Kings)

January 5TH/6TH  (Los Reyes Magos) (the three wise men).  Traditionally the 6th of January is when the Spanish children receive their presents. The night before on the 5th, the Three Kings parade through the towns on floats, to the delight of the families out shopping. In some cases, the shops, (particularly the toy shops) stay open to the early hours.

In Cómpeta the Three Kings ride through the streets, dispensing sweets to the children,  all appear replete with carrier bags picking up as many as they can. The procession is announced by the local Police car in the front, sounding his siren (virtually the only time it is heard here), the Police car is full of sweets, with the priest as a passenger supervising events and keeping the floats topped up with the aforementioned treats. The children seem to follow the floats from start to finish, laughing and screaming with excitement all the way (how they manage to carry all the sweets home can only be guessed at!). It is on this night that you realise how alive Cómpeta still is, reflected in how many children there are.  It truly is a magic night.

As mentioned above the 6th is the day the children receive their presents and are allowed to do what they want  without being admonished (allegedly). Every household buys a King cake, which is basically a large round bun, contained within the cake are three small objects, one of which is a King, the person who gets this is King for a day and is entitled to wear the crown (which comes with the cake) You will see many people carrying a 4in thick pizza size box the day before and that is what is inside.

In recent times, due to the influx of northern Europeans I suppose, Christmas day is now becoming a day of celebration as well. Although it is still mainly us foreigners who treat Christmas Day as the main day, more & more Christmas trees seem to be appearing in the shops & streets.  Although the main decoration in Spanish homes is still the "Belen" (the nativity scene), accompanied by an ever growing village scene, depicting Bethlehem  & the countryside. More and more lights are appearing in the windows and "Father Christmas"       (Papa Noel) is now seen hanging from some roof tops, and there are no doubt more and more decorated Christmas trees in the lounge!. I don´t think anyone knows when this started, but the Spanish, ever willing to embrace yet another Fiesta, seem to have taken it to their hearts. The children also now know that the English children receive their presents on the 25th, so I think a lot of the Spanish parents now have to give presents on the 25th December and the 6th January! .