Category: Navidad

La Nochebuena, el 24 de diciembre

inter2ling 12/12/2018

Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) In Spain is a very important family event.  The extended family meet to have dinner together. The meal includes seafood, salamis, especially “jamón”, and any other food considered special by the family.  At the end of the meal, Christmas sweets such as “turrones” (a kind of nougat) are served with traditional Christmas drinks like “ponche”.  It’s a tradition to sing “villancicos” (Spanish Christmas carols) after the meal.   In the past the… La Nochebuena, el 24 de diciembre

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Villancicos de Navidad (Christmas carols)

inter2ling 24/11/2017

Spanish Christmas carols are called “villancicos” and are popular songs composed as early as the XIV century and transformed by spontaneous additions made by the singers. For this  reason there are very wide variations in their lyrics.  They were played with improvised instruments such as stones, sticks, etc… They are informal, cheerful and often irreverent.  “Villancicos” were made to celebrate, so lets practice our Spanish while having some fun with a very popular song: 2022… Villancicos de Navidad (Christmas carols)

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Cabalgata de Reyes

inter2ling 12/01/2017

Children in Spain don’t receive their presents from Santa, at least not all.  The Three Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos)  bring most of them on the night of the 5th January. Every year Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar arrive in spectacular parades (cabalgatas de reyes) with a very welcoming reception from children and parents. Sometimes these parades explore a topic, allowing children to learn with delight.  Zaragoza’s 2017 cabalgata explored the topic of the planets.  Previously,… Cabalgata de Reyes

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Starting 2020 the Spanish way: with 12 grapes and cava

inter2ling 30/12/2016

Grapes, cava and chimes for the Spanish New Year’s Eve Celebrations Throughout the world, it is common practice to start the new year in front of a big clock in the main square, celebrating with champagne after the last chime takes us from the old to the new year.  Spanish people add something between each chime during their celebrations for New Year’s Eve (Nochevieja): they eat 12 grapes, one with each chime of the clock.… Starting 2020 the Spanish way: with 12 grapes and cava

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Spanish language and Christmas drinks, El poncho o ponche de Navidad

inter2ling 22/12/2016

Poncho de Navidad This is a very popular hot drink for Christmas,  particularly in the North of Spain. It goes very well with “turrones”, the traditional Spanish Christmas sweet. When I was a child we used to make it on Christmas Eve in the late afternoon, when darkness falls. Children enjoy the sight of the flames when the wine is burned. After Midnight Mass (Misa de Gallo) people used to visit their neighbours and friends… Spanish language and Christmas drinks, El poncho o ponche de Navidad

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Spanish language and the Spanish tradition ” El Gordo de Navidad”

inter2ling 19/12/2016

Learning Spanish with “la lotería de Navidad” In Spain, the Christmas period starts on the 22nd with a Christmas special edition of the Spanish National Lottery. In order to understand this post we have to understand that the Spanish National Lottery doesn’t work like the British one. It is organised into tickets “billetes” containing a 5 digit number.  Each ticket is printed several times in which is called  “una serie“.  Each pre-printed ticket is a… Spanish language and the Spanish tradition ” El Gordo de Navidad”

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