Felices Fiestas

El 22 de diciembre is an important day in Spain for

two reasons:

• Drawing of lottery winners• People put up the nativity scenes

You might see “belén or a nativity scene in many places:

• City squares• Town squares• Village squares• At the front door• At the entrance of a house

El 24 de diciembre is when the Spanish have their main “Cena de

Navidad”/Christmas dinner. The dinner will include some of the following:

Pescado y Mariscos

Jámon

Turrón

vino

Champaña

Cordero

What is Turrón? • Spanish Almond Candy or Nougat is a traditional

Christmas treat in Spain. Made primarily from almonds and honey, it comes in a wide variety of flavors.

• Turrón is a confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, with toasted almonds or other nuts.

• There are two traditional basic types of turrón. Soft Jijona or turrón blando, which is so smooth it has the consistency of peanut butter and hard Alicante or turrón duro, which is like a thick almond nougat candy, similar to peanut brittle.

El 28 de diciembre is a special day as well…

• People usually play practical jokes on each other… it is most like our April fools!

El 31 de diciembre…A new years kiss? No, read what

Spaniards do… • At midnight, twelve bells are

sounded for the first minute of the new year. Spanish eat a grape as each bell is sounded. This will bring them good luck for the next twelve months. Do you think you could eat twelve grapes in one minute?

El 5 de enero…

• First there is a procession/parade in the streets with people dressed up as the three kings.

• Before the kids go to bed, they leave their shoes out for the three kings to bring them gifts. They also leave turrón out for the three kings.

“El Roscón de Reyes”

• This is the name for a cake decorated with crystallized fruits in the shape of a ring.

• The fruits represent rubies and emeralds on the cloaks of the three kings.

• If you find the “sorpresa” or surprise in the cake you are crowned king or queen of the house.

Enlaces-La Lotería de la Navidad

• Anuncio de 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J5CAJIkiX4

• El premio gordo de 2011http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=H3xdsXV6KiU• Anuncio de 2012http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=QOqCsQ5cFzY

La Lotería de la Navidad

• Answer the following questions to the best of your ability based on the video clips that you see.

• 1- What is a “fábrica”?• 2- What do the bubbles represent? • 3- What is a “sueño”? • 4- What is a “registro de sueños”? • 5- How do the children feel who are

announcing the lottery winners?