CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN THE

ALT BERGUEDÀ

Fia-FaiaOn 24th December, people from Bagà and St Julià, go

to the top of a mountain carrying torches made fromdried grass and branches. We light the torches, godown the mountains to the village square and makebonfires. Young people jump over the bonfires.Afterwards, we dance around the fire and eat cakewith garlic sauce and sweet wine.

The “Tió” of ChristmasThe “Tió” is a log with legs. Children feed him. On

24th the December, parents hide presents under the Tió. Then the children hit the Tió with a stick in their house. After that the children look under the Tió and they think that the Tió gives presents.

Christmas Eve at Home• On Christmas Eve we celebrate the birth of

Jesus. In Spain, we don’t eat a specific food, but usually at home we eat seafood and fish, and for dessert we eat “Turrón” a kind of nougat made from sugar and almonds

The Christmas Tree• In Spain, lots of people

put a Christmas tree in their house to decorate it, and some people put presents under them like in another countries. It’s not a tradition here but a lot of people do it. Santa Claus is not a tradition here either, but he is becoming popular.

The CribMany people make a crib in their house to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The basic crib

has traditional figures, Jesus, Virgen Mary, Joseph, the ox

and the donkey. Some people make

enormous cribs with villages, farms, shepherds, kings, rivers, bridges and all kinds of

figures

Christmas DayOn Christmas Day, the typical food is a soup with big pieces of pasta called

“Galets”

Then they have chicken or turkey with prunes and pine nuts

For dessert, people eat “polvorones” and “torrons” and drink champagne!

New Year’s Eve

In Spain we celebrate the New Year on the night of 31st December. We celebrate at home or in a restaurant with friends and our families . The tradition is to eat 12 grapes at twelve o’clock, one grape for every ring of the bells. It ‘s not easy but if you don’t do it, you have bad luck all year!!

The New Year Celebrations

After dinner, some people go out and they listen to the bells and eat grapes in the main square like in Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona. Afterwards, some people go dancing to a disco but other people go to a house to celebrate the New Year.

ESQUELLADA"The esquellada" is a children's tradition in la Pobla de Lillet on January 5th, the Eve of the Kings. Children call the Kings to their homes by ringing cow bells because they want them to bring presents.In the morning, they do a tour all over the village with their bells and sing a lot of carols. After that, all the people of the village eat cake and have hot chocolate

The Three KingsOn the evening before the 6th January, the Kings arrive in every town, city and village of Spain bringing presents for the good children! Just as they brought gifts to Jesus in Bethlehem! Bad children get pieces of coal!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE

AND

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BON NADAL I

FELIÇ ANY NOU A TOTS!