In the spirit of the holidays I thought I would talk about the holidays and how they’re spent in the Spanish speaking communities around he world. The Spanish have a long and rich history, filled with traditions and special occasions; so while you’re no doubt preparing yourself for the festivities, on holiday from work and readying your home for the relatives, take a moment to see how it’s celebrated elsewhere.

The first thing to note is that it’s a very religious event in most places, for the obvious reason of the birth of Christ. As a result you’ll find that the churches for the most part pack themselves out, there are services at multiple times throughout the day and on through the night.

While most of us are used to finding presents at the end of our bed on Christmas day, many Spanish families Christmas celebrations reach until January the 6th, which is known as the Epiphany. This is the day when the Three Kings arrived to Bethlehem with gifts, and as such is the day most of the gifts are given.

On December the 28th, there is a celebration known as ‘Dia de los Santos Inocentes,’ Day of the Holy Innocents. It resembles April Fools as many people play practical jokes on one another; It is in remembrance to the children that were slaughtered by King Herod.

Spain has a rather large lottery drawn on December 22nd, known as ‘El Gordo,’ the fat one. It’s one of the largest lotteries in the world with an offering of €2.5 billion this year; each of the winners receive €400,000, while those who come second get a comfortable €125,000.

In Colombia the Christmas festivities begin on December the 7th, on ‘Dia de las Velitas,’ Day of the Little Candles. This is the day that marks the Immaculate Conception, people place candles and paper lanterns on their windows, balconies, sidewalks, streets and anywhere else they’ll be visible.

In Colombia and Venezuela, all the presents are brought by ‘El Niño Jesus,’ Baby Jesus, rather than Santa Claus, which in Spanish is ‘Papá Noél,’ although the latter still plays an important role during the holidays.

As we’ve come to expect, food and drinks play an important role in the festivities, and there’s little difference in the Spanish communities. Many countries have their specialties, such as Puerto Rico, which has the ‘Coquito,’ a drink somewhat similar to eggnog; with rum, coconut milk, condensed milk, cinnamon and other additions to make a creamy holiday supplement.

Why not give yourself a little gift these Christmas holidays with some Spanish classes? Or, you could send an inquiry about making it a gift for someone else! In the meantime, Merry Christmas! I hope you all have an incredible holiday and that El Niño Jesus brings you all the gifts on your list.