Christmas stories seen through children's eyes Christmas in the countries of Europe | Page 13

C
hristmas
and
St
Stephen's
Day
are officially
recognized holidays in Spain. In most of Spain, the
Christmas period, referred to as "Navidad", lasts from
Christmas Eve referred to as "Nochebuena" or "the
Good Night." on December 24 to Epiphany on
January 6. Many homes and most churches display
a Nativity
scene,
a Christmas
tree,
or
both.
The pesebre (nativity scene) is present in many
homes, schools and stores. On the 26th, Sant Esteve (Saint Stephen) is celebrated with a
family gathering.
A large family dinner is celebrated on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) and can last until
6 o'clock in the morning. There is a wide variety of typical foods one might find on plates
across Spain on this particular night, and each region has its own distinct specialities. It is
particularly common, however, to start the meal with a seafood dish such as prawns or
salmon, followed by a bowl of hot, homemade soup. The main meal will commonly
consist of roast lamb, or seafood, such as cod or shellfish. For dessert, there is quite a
spread of delicacies, among them are turrón, a dessert made of honey, egg and almonds
that is Arabic in origin. Special dishes and desserts include Mariscos y Pescado (shellfish
and
fish), marzipan,
Pavo
Trufado
de
Navidad
(turkey
with truffles),
and polvorones (shortbread made of almonds, flour and sugar).
Even though there is still the traditional Misa del Gallo at midnight, few Spaniards
continue to follow the old custom of attending.