This Christmas the streets of Barcelona and the shopfronts are brilliantly lit up with all styles of lights, from elegant to
- Giant Pasta Shell Light
colorful and bright, to the 26, two-metre high giant pasta shell lights in various parts of the city. The city is already in full swing for a happy and entertaining time for locals and visitors alike, offering Christmas markets, free and paid concerts, theatre performances, live Nativity Scenes, street cavalcades and workshops for children. Some of the many interesting local traditions and activities on offer in Barcelona this Christmas 2009 are the following:
- As in the rest of Spain, some Catholic religious celebrations also take place in Barcelona. One that all visitors can enjoy is the public display of a life size pessebre, or nativity scene, that fills the famous Plaça Sant Jaume. It is a Catholic tradition for families to have a pessebre displayed at home which can be any size, from a tiny corner or a whole room dedicated to it. Many of the city’s public libraries have Christmas activities organised for children. Why not join them and see how the locals celebrate it?
- A curious, uniquely Catalan addition to the nativity scene is the caganer (pooper). It is a peasant-like little figurine with a red hat, a barretina and white blouse, squatting with his pants down, doing his business unconcernd by any onlooker. The origen of this funny figure is unknown, but it is said that he is a symbol of fertility and prosperity.
- The caganer comes with the cagatió, which is a wooden log with the same red hat. Children especially love the Tió de Nadal, as on Christmas Eve when he is placed next to the fire not to get cold. He is then beaten by a stick whilst the children dance around him, singing and ordering him to poo out presents for them! Lately, well-known public figures are chosen each year to represent this funny little character.Traditionally, Christmas presents are really only exchanged on the 6th January, after the three kings have arrived.
The Caga Tió Log
- A traditional local dessert eaten on Christmas Day is the torró, a nougat-like sweet made basically from almonds and honey but nowadays many versions with or without chocolate can be found.
- If you like live chariot races you will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a world-class performance in the Palau Sant Jordi event venue in Barcelona on the 26th and 27th of December 2009. The breathtaking show takes place in a recreated Roman arena with 400 performers and 100 animals, together with spectacular light and sound effects. The show includes the famous chariot race around the centre of the arena as well.
If you’d like to spend an entertaining, fun time in reasonable winter temperatures this Christmas visit Barcelona. Bon Nadal!
