How Barcelona Celebrates Christmas
Almost all countries are really looking forward to this momentous event. This is the time where people will remember their families in a sentiments and just gather together to celebrate. This is also the time where giving and exchanging of gifts are liberally given. Love and generosity is usually the theme of Christmas season.
Christmas in Barcelona is extravagantly celebrated by implementing Christmas cultural traditions. Usually, the eighth day of December– also Spain’s Feast of Immaculate Conception– is the day the people of Barcelona starts to decorate.
One of their most ornamented decorations is the Nativity, an embellishment that pictures out the stable where Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem along with Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and other animals, and the three kings offering their prestigious gifts.
Cagatió, another decoration displayed in Barcelona is done even as early since the 60’s. This is a painted log with a face wearing a barretina, a traditional red hat. People in Barcelona and even in Catalonia make this decoration as a symbol of fertility for the next years to come.
Spanish people really look forward to Christmas, especially the upcoming Christmas Eve. This is the time when they prepare ample meals along with their own families and friends in one dinner. Typically, their dinner starts with Carn d’Olla, a soup made of large pieces of meat cooked for hours to make it thick and rich to become a soup. After it’s being cooked, the meat is then separated and Galets (large pastas that looks like snails) are added to the meat. This mixture then becomes the starter.
Desserts during Christmas dinners in Barcelona are Turron(comprised of nuts and almonds) and Polvorones (made from almond paste). Then after eating dinner, the people in Barcelona go out and greet a Merry Christmas, including the giving of Jamon or Cured Ham as gifts.
When they get to mingle with their friends and relatives, they also sip their special drink called Cava (Spanish Champagne) and enjoy playing musical instruments like Zambomba (Spanish drum), Pandereta (tambourine), and Botella de Anis. And of course, no one misses the singing of Christmas carols to complete the whole celebration.
How about you? How do you celebrate Christmas in your country?
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