Christmas in Spanish

Published in Ievas magazine, 2025 No. 4 (34)

Spanish Christmas traditions can be described as a festive feast with very different ingredients.
a box of sweets that combines various flavors and creates a unique experience. From one
from the world's strangest Christmas traditions in Catalonia to the traditional ones swept away by the ton
sweets – Spain is observed around the world with its uniqueness.

In Catalonia, there is a Christmas tradition called Tió de Nadal, which even surprises residents of other regions of Spain.
tradition. Tió is a wooden stick decorated with a smile and wearing a traditional Catalan
hat. In early December, families bring this character home (some parents give their children
organizes trips to the forest and challenges them to find the hidden Tió) and takes care of him until Christmas:
leaves sweets and food for the night. By the way, everyone knows that Tió loves tangerines, so
tries to make sure there are always enough of them at home. So comfortably and comfortably covered with a warm blanket, Tió is waiting
holidays. But for almost a month, a beloved character is beaten with sticks by children on Christmas Eve,
while he "pokes" (hence the name Caga Tió, cagar - to go to the toilet) the gifts and
sweets hidden under the blanket. Although for many the very fact of where gifts come from,
It doesn't seem pleasant, this tradition is deeply rooted in Catalan culture and in December
Tió becomes the most important window decoration in Barcelona.

Another tradition that is widespread throughout Spain is sweets – and not just any sweets, but ones made from
almond turons, which are eaten in abundance right up until the Three Kings' Day. Turon is a traditional
a sweet whose roots go back to Roman times, but its current form was formed
In the Middle Ages in the Spanish peninsula, especially in the regions of Alicante and Jijona. It is believed that this
The sweet came to Spain thanks to the Arabs, who made similar desserts from honey,
almonds and walnuts. Over time, the recipe was adapted and became popular in Spanish culture,
becoming a traditional symbol of the Christmas holidays, usually made from honey, almonds and
egg white — it is this combination that gives turoni its unique texture and flavor.

It is estimated that Spaniards buy more than 35,000 tons of turron per year, of which about
85% of sales are made during the winter holiday period. However, although most sales occur during
At Christmas, a lot of turron is eaten "out of season" — about 80% of Spaniards admit
who buy turona at other times of the year. Every year, more and more efforts are made to reduce this
the seasonality of the popular sweet: it can be ordered online, it can be found in shops in tourist areas even in summer, and new flavors are constantly appearing. The statistics on the production of turron are impressive: in the Catalonia region, more than 7 million kilograms of it are produced per year, and according to 2023 data, the total sales volumes of the most famous turron producers reached
303 million euros.

There are many types of turón. Although the best turóns in the country originate from Jijona or Alicante,
links, it is mostly purchased at the most popular grocery chain Mercadona. Here you can find not only traditional hard or soft turron, but also fried yolk or chocolate ones,
modern turons: with almonds or milk chocolate, dark or white crunchy chocolate with
rice or cereals, mixtures of white, milk and dark chocolates. A list of types of Turon can be found
continue — there are also sweets with cookie pieces, and after becoming popular all over the world
Dubai chocolate, there was also a pistachio turron, which is available in many stores
In recent years, it has often been difficult to find because it is constantly being bought out. For those with diabetes or who want to consume less sugar, turoni is also produced without added sugar. Do not eat
turona is not possible during Spanish Christmas these days, because if someone has an allergy to almonds or
don't like them, are gluten intolerant - everything has been thought of. Some modern turons are completely
It doesn't resemble the original recipe, but it still keeps the same name, so every family
provides more than one type of turons for the Christmas table.

Although today's Spaniards are not very religious, one should not forget another unique tradition
— nativity scenes. Figurines depicting the birth of the baby Jesus, very popular
in homes and town squares. In Spanish Christmas markets, nativity figures are one of the
Handmade figurines are highly valued and no money is spared for them.
In Spain, popular and so-called living nativity scenes are created by people dressed in disguise. Yes
The Spanish also hold the world record — in 2019, a
Bethlehem, whose height reached 15 meters.

It's interesting how the Spanish generally describe Christmas — for them it's the period from December 22nd, when
The most important Christmas lottery of the year is taking place until January 6. Three Kings — an extremely important
holiday, because it is usually the kings who bring gifts to children if they behave well. Nowadays, children in Spain usually receive gifts from both Santa Claus and the Three Kings.

On the evening of January 5th, huge processions, called cabalgatas in Spanish, take place, in which
kings arrive on huge chariots with platforms. Sometimes in towns by the sea, kings
They arrive in small boats, but the latter method is not the safest, as the kings have repeatedly fallen into the water as they approach the shore. When the kings arrive, they throw sweets to children (and not only), which causes a lot of enthusiasm among the adventurous people.

On the morning of January 6th, children find the gifts left by the kings during the night, but for those who disobeyed their parents,
may not be lucky — those who have behaved badly during the year receive coal instead of gifts. In these
in the past it was sweet coal — a black, hardened sugar resembling real coal. Once upon a time
This tradition had an important educational meaning and reminded children of the importance of good behavior.
Over time, the custom became more of a joke and now sweet coal is often given to each other.
given by adults teasing each other.

After unwrapping the presents, it's time for the last Spanish winter tradition - the King's Cake (Spanish: el rey de los reys).
el roscón), a round braid with a cream filling and candied fruit pieces that symbolize
The crown jewels. Two figurines are hidden inside the cake: one of the Three Kings, which
The family member who finds it becomes the king of the day and is given a paper crown, which
sold together with cake or beans. Whoever finds the latter figurine is less lucky —
he has to buy a cake next year. Although it may seem easy to be clever when choosing your
a piece, in fact, everything is not so simple, because the small figures are completely hidden in the cream filling, so they are packed in plastic bags to prevent them from getting dirty. In supermarkets, these cakes can be purchased even on the day of the holiday, but in favorite bakeries, orders for such cakes are accepted as early as November, and on January 5, the longest lines of people wanting to pick up their order stretch.

The Spanish know how to create a celebration: the vast majority buy Christmas trees and decorate them. Every year, considering sustainability, artificial ones become more and more popular. Even Christmas lights are becoming more and more sustainable, as LED bulbs are most often used. And there is a lot of the latter: in 2025, Christmas lights and decorations in Valencia cost more than a million. Madrid this year
decorated with around 13 million lights last year, and Barcelona has increased its Christmas lights this winter
the decorations budget by 15 percent.

Spanish Christmas is a colorful combination of traditions, flavors, and lights that reveal the country's
creativity and the ability to celebrate in an inventive way. At the same time, new holiday traditions are emerging in the country.
habits: from the ever-modernizing Christmas lighting to the choice of gifts. In Spain
It is announced that the most desired and purchased gifts this year are various experiences or
And most importantly, we try to live this period colorfully, with the best
emotions, enjoying the surroundings and not losing hope that maybe this year we will be lucky in Christmas
in the lottery.