Diwali meets NavidadChristmasThe Spanish word for Christmas.: how Spain celebrates the holidays

Think about Diwali for a moment. Streets glowing with lights. Boxes of sweets going from house to house. The whole family under one roof, new clothes, a few card games late at night, and that feeling that a new start is just around the corner.

Now move all of that to December, swap the diyas for strings of fairy lights and the kaju katli for turrónnougatA Spanish Christmas sweet made with almonds and honey., and you're very close to Christmas in Spain. In Spanish it's called la NavidadChristmasThe Spanish word for Christmas., and it's not just one day. It's a whole season of family meals, lucky traditions and sweets that lasts until 6 January.

In this post I'll walk you through Christmas in Spain day by day, explain the traditions that surprise visitors most, and give you the A2 vocabulary to talk about it all. And because so much of it feels familiar, I'll point out the Diwali twins along the way.

When does Christmas start and end in Spain?

In Spain, the Christmas season, las fiestas navideñasthe Christmas holidaysThe whole festive season from late December to early January., runs from around 22 December to 6 January. Schools close for about two weeks, cities switch on their lights weeks earlier, and the calendar is full of special days.

Here are the key dates at a glance:

Let's go through them one by one.

22 December: El Gordothe Fat OneThe nickname for the top prize of the Christmas lottery. and the Christmas lottery

For many Spaniards, Christmas really begins on the morning of 22 December with the Sorteo de NavidadChristmas drawSpain's huge Christmas lottery draw., the Christmas lottery. The top prize is nicknamed El Gordothe Fat OneThe biggest prize in the Christmas lottery., "the fat one".

What makes it special isn't just the money. It's how people share it. Friends, families, colleagues and even the local bar often buy tickets together, so when a number wins, a whole office or neighbourhood can celebrate at once. The winning numbers are sung out on live TV by schoolchildren from the Colegio de San IldefonsoSan Ildefonso SchoolA Madrid school whose pupils sing the lottery numbers. in Madrid, in a very particular sing-song voice that every Spaniard recognises.

Sounds a little like the card games that come out at Diwali, doesn't it? Same idea of trying your luck as the festive season begins, and same happy chaos when someone wins.

24 December: NochebuenaChristmas EveLiterally "the good night"., the big family dinner

In Spain, the most important family meal is often on Christmas Eve, called NochebuenaChristmas EveLiterally "the good night"., "the good night". Families gather for a long dinner, often with seafood, roast lamb or other special dishes depending on the region. After dinner come the sweets, the singing and, of course, a long sobremesaafter-meal chatTime spent talking at the table after eating..

Some families go to midnight Mass, called la Misa del GalloMidnight MassLiterally "the Mass of the rooster"., "the rooster's Mass". Others sing villancicosChristmas carolsTraditional Spanish Christmas songs., traditional Christmas carols, often with tambourines and anything else that makes noise.

25 December: NavidadChristmasChristmas Day., Christmas Day

Christmas Day itself, el día de NavidadChristmas Day25 December., is usually another family lunch. In the past, Spanish children didn't get many presents on the 25th, because the big gift day was 6 January. Today, many families also have Papá NoelFather ChristmasSanta Claus, who now brings gifts in many Spanish homes too., so children may get some presents on Christmas morning too.

Spanish Christmas sweets: Spain's mithai

Just as Diwali means boxes of mithai, Spanish Christmas means a table full of special sweets that only appear at this time of year:

• TurrónnougatMade with almonds and honey, either hard or soft.: the king of Spanish Christmas sweets. It comes hard, with whole almonds, or soft and crumbly, a bit like a nutty barfi.
• Polvoronescrumbly shortbreadVery crumbly almond biscuits that melt in your mouth.: crumbly almond biscuits that fall apart the moment you bite them. They remind many Indians of nankhatai.
• MazapánmarzipanA sweet almond paste, shaped into little figures.: almond paste, often shaped into little figures. Kaju katli's European cousin!
• Roscón de ReyesKings' ring cakeA ring-shaped cake eaten on 6 January.: a big ring-shaped cake for 6 January. More on this one below.

And just as companies in India give Diwali gifts and sweet boxes, many Spanish companies give their staff a cesta de NavidadChristmas hamperA basket of food and drink, often given by employers., a Christmas hamper full of food, sweets and drinks.

28 December: el Día de los Santos InocentesDay of the Holy InnocentsSpain's day for pranks, on 28 December.

Spain doesn't really celebrate April Fools' Day. Instead, it has 28 December, el Día de los Santos InocentesDay of the Holy InnocentsSpain's day for pranks.. On this day, people play tricks on each other, and newspapers and TV channels publish fake news stories as jokes.

A prank is called an inocentadaa prankA joke played on 28 December., and when someone falls for it, you can say ¡Inocente, inocente!Fooled you!What you shout when someone falls for a prank. A classic childish prank is to stick a paper doll on someone's back without them noticing.

31 December: NocheviejaNew Year's EveLiterally "the old night". and the twelve grapes

This is my favourite Spanish tradition of all. On NocheviejaNew Year's EveThe last night of the year., at midnight, Spaniards eat las doce uvasthe twelve grapesOne grape for each chime at midnight., the twelve grapes: one grape for each chime of the clock. If you finish all twelve in time, you'll have good luck for each month of the new year.

It sounds easy. It isn't! The chimes come quickly, the grapes have seeds and skins, and everyone ends up laughing with their cheeks full. Many people now buy small seedless grapes, or even ready-made cans of twelve peeled grapes, to make life easier.

Most people watch the chimes live on TV from the clock tower in the Puerta del SolGate of the SunMadrid's famous central square. in Madrid, where crowds gather in the square. The chimes are called las campanadasthe chimesThe twelve bell strikes at midnight.. A few short sounds come first as a warning, so don't start eating too early!

Another lucky tradition: wearing ropa interior rojared underwearWorn on New Year's Eve for luck., red underwear, on New Year's Eve. Just as we wear new clothes and do the Lakshmi puja at Diwali to welcome prosperity, Spaniards have their own little rituals to welcome a lucky year.

After midnight, everyone hugs and wishes each other ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!Happy New Year!The classic New Year greeting., and the party often goes on until morning, sometimes finished off with churros con chocolatechurros with hot chocolateFried dough sticks dipped in thick hot chocolate. for breakfast.

5 and 6 January: los Reyes Magosthe Three Wise MenThe Three Kings who bring gifts to Spanish children.

For Spanish children, the most exciting night of the year isn't Christmas Eve. It's 5 January, the night before el Día de ReyesThree Kings' Day6 January, the big day for presents..

La Cabalgata de Reyesthe Three Kings paradeThe parade on the evening of 5 January.: the parade

On the evening of 5 January, almost every town in Spain has a cabalgataparadeA parade with floats, here for the Three Kings., a parade where the three kings, MelchorMelchiorOne of the Three Kings., GasparCasparOne of the Three Kings. and BaltasarBalthazarOne of the Three Kings., ride on floats and throw sweets, called caramelossweetsSmall hard sweets, thrown from the floats., to the crowds. Children bring bags to catch as many as they can.

The gifts

Before bed, children write a letter to the kings, called la carta a los Reyes Magosthe letter to the Three KingsChildren's wish list, written before 6 January., and leave their shoes out, sometimes with a snack for the kings and water for their camels. In the morning, there are presents. Children who've been naughty are told they'll get carbóncoalWhat naughty children supposedly get. It's usually sweet black sugar., coal, though in practice it's a black sugar sweet that looks like coal.

El roscón de Reyesthe Kings' ring cakeA ring-shaped cake eaten on 6 January.

On 6 January, families share el roscón de Reyesthe Kings' ring cakeA ring-shaped cake decorated with candied fruit., a ring-shaped sweet bread decorated with candied fruit, often filled with cream. Hidden inside are two surprises: a small figure, called la sorpresathe surpriseThe little figure hidden in the cake., and a dried bean, el habathe beanThe dried bean hidden in the cake.. Find the figure and you're crowned king or queen for the day. Find the bean and, by tradition, you pay for next year's cake!

Christmas decorations and lights in Spain

Spanish cities take their lights seriously. Big streets are lit up with las luces de NavidadChristmas lightsThe lights that decorate streets and homes. from late November, and people go out especially to walk under them and see them, just like we visit markets glowing with lights before Diwali.

At home, many families set up a belénnativity sceneA model of the nativity, often with a whole village around it., a nativity scene. Some are tiny, but some are huge model villages with rivers, markets, animals and little shops, a bit like the effort some families put into their rangoli or their Diwali decorations. Many homes also have un árbol de NavidadChristmas treeDecorated in homes and shops across Spain., a Christmas tree.

Christmas greetings in Spanish

Here are the greetings you'll hear everywhere. Use them in messages, cards or in person.

• ¡Feliz Navidad!Merry Christmas!The classic Christmas greeting.
• ¡Felices fiestas!Happy holidays!A general greeting for the whole season.
• ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!Happy New Year!For 31 December and 1 January.
• ¡Próspero año nuevo!Have a prosperous new year!A slightly formal New Year wish, also in a famous Christmas song.
• ¡Felices Reyes!Happy Three Kings' Day!Said around 6 January.
• Te deseo lo mejor para el año que vieneI wish you all the best for the coming yearPerfect for a card or a message.

And if a Spanish friend asks how you celebrate in India, try this: En la India celebramos Diwali, la fiesta de las lucesIn India we celebrate Diwali, the festival of lightsA perfect sentence to share your own culture.

Christmas in Spain flashcards

Say each word out loud before you flip.

Talking about the holidays at A2 level

Holidays are a classic A2 topic, and they're perfect for practising the past tense. In January, everyone in Spain asks the same question: ¿Qué tal las fiestas?How were the holidays?The question you'll hear in every office in January. Here's how you might answer:

• Cené con mi familia en NochebuenaI had dinner with my family on Christmas EveCené is the preterite of cenar.
• Comí las doce uvas, ¡pero no pude terminar!I ate the twelve grapes, but I couldn't finish!Pude is the irregular preterite of poder.
• Los Reyes me trajeron un libroThe Three Kings brought me a bookTrajeron is the irregular preterite of traer.
• Fue una Navidad muy bonitaIt was a lovely ChristmasFue is the preterite of ser here.

Keep going

Christmas in Spain is a lot like Diwali: lights, sweets, family, a little luck and a lot of food. Once you know the words, you can join in the conversation, share your own traditions and maybe even survive the twelve grapes. If you'd like to learn more festival vocabulary, read Spanish festivals and the words that go with them, and if you love the food side, try my post on Spanish food vocabulary. Ready to talk about your holidays in Spanish? My A2 batches are live on Google Meet with up to 5 students, so you'll get plenty of practice. ¡Feliz Navidad!Merry Christmas!The classic Christmas greeting., and hasta prontoSee you soonA warm goodbye.!