| Christmas is a very religious holiday in Spain. The | | | | especially for the occasion. Swinging at solstice time |
| Spain's patron saint is the Virgin Mary and the | | | | evokes an ancient desire to encourage the sun, |
| Christmas season officially begins December 8, the | | | | urging it to "swing" ever higher in the sky. December |
| feast of the Immaculate Conception. Each year it is | | | | 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents. Young boys of |
| celebrated in front of the great Gothic cathedral in | | | | a town or village light bonfires while one of them |
| Seville with a ceremony called los Seises or the | | | | acts as the mayor who orders the townspeople to |
| "dance of six." The elaborate ritual dance is | | | | perform civic chores such as sweeping the streets. If |
| performed by ten costumed boys; the dance is said | | | | you refuse to comply fines are levied which are then |
| to be quite moving and beautiful. It is made up of a | | | | used to pay for the celebration. |
| series of precise traditional movements and gestures. | | | | The children of Spain receive gifts on the feast of |
| Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena or "the Good | | | | the Epiphany, January 6th, the date the Three Wise |
| Night." As the stars come out on Christmas Eve, tiny | | | | Men gave gifts to Jesus. The Magi are particularly |
| oil lamps are lit in every house. Family members | | | | revered in Spain. It is believed that they travel |
| gather together to rejoice and feast around the | | | | through the countryside re-enacting their journey to |
| Nativity scenes, complete with carved figures, that | | | | Bethlehem every year at this time. |
| are present in nearly every home. The traditional | | | | On the 'Eve of The Kings', a parade takes place in |
| Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy. | | | | each town centre. The locals dress as kings and walk |
| After Midnight Mass and Christmas Dinner the streets | | | | through the towns, throwing sweets and gifts to the |
| fill with dancers and onlookers. There is a special | | | | children watching. The Kings (Los Reyes), are the |
| Christmas dance called the Jota and the words and | | | | highlight of each child's Christmas and they write a |
| music of which have been handed down for | | | | gift list to 'The Kings' rather than Father Christmas, |
| hundreds of years. The dance is accompanied by the | | | | leaving food and drink out for them to enjoy while |
| sound of guitars and castanets. | | | | delivering the children's presents. Children leave their |
| The Spanish especially honour the cow at Christmas. | | | | shoes on the windowsills and fill them with straw, |
| This is because it is thought that when Mary gave | | | | carrots or barley for the horses of the Wise Men. By |
| birth to Jesus, the cow in the stable breathed on the | | | | morning the camel food is gone and in place of the |
| Baby Jesus to keep him warm. The Spanish | | | | straw, carrots or barley are presents. Their favourite |
| Christmas is Navidad, people go to church, exchange | | | | Wise Man is Balthazar who rides a donkey and is the |
| presents, and many play on swing sets set up | | | | one believed to leave the gifts. |