12/20/2010

CHRISTMAS IN CATALONIA

On Christmas’ Day, family gathers to eat a big and good lunch.
For dessert, they eat a special nougat called “torró”.
At the end of the meal, all together do sing Carols and children say Poems to their parents.







One week after, they all make a party to celebrate New Years’ Eve.
At midnight, at the start of the New Year, everybody do eat 12 grapes, one at each stroke.
After that, they hug and kiss each other and they wish “Happy New year” to everybody.

The Three Wise Men

And…  the longest moment for children is on the 5th of January, when  parents and kids go to the street to meet the Three Wise Men ( the White one, the Brown one and the Black one )  who arrive loaded with thousand of presents
and a hundred of assistants.

It is said that Jesus was born in a manger. Some days later, three wise men gave him three presents: gold, myrrh and incense. So the nowadays tradition pretends to imitate that old one.
On the 6th of January, all children will find out at home lovely presents given by the Three Wise Men during the night. They usually leave the presents at the balconies or under the Christmas Tree.

Some days before, children had written their wishing list and gave it to the Wise Men’s Assistant.

The Three Wise Men give to the children all sort of toys: cars, balls, dolls, bikes, books…    Children have to behave very well during the whole year. If not, they will get sweet black coal instead. 

But children always do behave, don’t you?


After the Wise Men’s Day, all children will come back to school having spent lovely holidays.





Two funny days

The Innocents’ Day

Three days after Christmas, kids and young people do make jokes to their families and friends.

The last day of the year is the Noses’ Man  “l’home dels nassos”.   That is a man who is said that he only goes to the streets on the 31th December.
People says that he has got as many noses as days are in the year.  Children do imagine a man with 365 noses in his face… But notice that on that day, there is only one day left.
Sometimes children don’t realize that this is just a joke !