courtesy of www.cavecova.org Spain has more national fiestas in December than any other month.  As a predominately Catholic nation you would expect them to celebrate Christmas but did you know that this month they also celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary, along with the pagan celebration for the winter solstice, the democracy of spain and a type of April Fools day called Santos Inocentes. 

Christmas is a deeply religious holiday in Spain and the Christmas season officially begins on 8th December with the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Most homes have a wooden Nativity Scene (Belén) and during the weeks before Christmas, the families gather around it to sing and dance.  They especially honour the cow at Christmas because it is thought that when Mary gave birth to Jesus the cow breathed on him to keep him warm.

You can visit the Nativity Museum in Alicante all year round

• 6th December - Dia de la Constitucion de España (National holiday)
• 8th December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (National holiday)
• 21st December - Winter Solstice
• 24th December - Noche Buena/Christmas Eve
• 25th December - Christmas Day (National holiday)
• 28th December - Santos Inocentes
• 31st December - New Year's Eve

6th December - Dia de la Constitucion de España

In 1934 Francisco Franco and the military attempted a coup on the Marxist/Anarchist style Popular Front Government.  When that failed it devolved into the Spanish Civil War with Franco as the leader of the Nationalists. 

With the military aid of Italy and Nazi Germany, he won the war and dissolved parliament assuming absolute power.  He censored dissident opinions, violently coerced, imprisoned or killed political opponents, trade unionists and Basque or Catalan Separatists. 

Franco wanted to create a "national" Spain, in other words he wanted to abolish all individuality of the different regions.  All dialects other than Castilian Spanish were outlawed - for example, it was illegal to produce books, documents or road signs in Valenciano, Catalan, Galician, etc., and although the regional languages were spoken in the home it was forbidden for them to be taught at schools or colleges. The legal usage of languages other than Castilian was forbidden.  All government, notarial, legal and commercial documents were to be drawn up exclusively in Castilian and any written in other languages were deemed null and void.  Bullfighting and flamenco were promoted as national traditions while regional traditions were banned. All cultural activities were strictly monitored.

Franco insisted upon his view of the traditional role of women in society, i.e. doting daughter, faithful wife, caring mother.  He revoked the laws passed by the previous government aimed at equality between the sexes.  Women could not become college professors or judges, they could not even testify at trials. All their financial affairs had to be managed by either their father or husband and until the 1970s a woman could not have a bank account without a male co-signatory.

Franco generally ruled Spain as a dictator from 1936 until his death in 1975.  Upon his death Spain began to formulate a constitution and this national holiday celebrates Spain's transition to democracy following a national referendum held on 6th December 1978.

Today, pre-constitutional symbols from the Franco regime—such as the national Coat of arms or flag with the Imperial Eagle—are banned by law in Spain

8th December - Feast of the Immaculate Conception

This celebrates the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (she who was born without sin). Exactly 9 months later on 8th September Spain celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin. Obviously this is an important fiesta in Spain since the Virgin Mary is the country's patron saint

21st December - Winter Solstice

In a few cities including Granada the celebration of Hogueras (bonfires) takes place. This date marks the winter solstice and where it is celebrated it involves people jumping through fires to protect themselves against illness and evil spirits for the following year.

24th December - Christmas Eve (Nochebuena)

Christmas Eve is known as “Nochebuena” (the Good Night). Often, as the stars start to appear, tiny oil lamps are lit and at midnight the church bells ring calling the families to "La Misa Del Gallo" (The Mass of the Rooster). The most beautiful of these services is held at the monastery of Montserrat, high in the mountain near Barcelona, which is highlighted by a boy's choir described as performing the Mass in "one pure voice."

Christmas dinner is eaten after midnight. It is a family feast, and often highlighted with "Pavo Trufado de Navidad" (Christmas turkey with truffles). After the meal, family members gather around the Christmas tree and sing Christmas carols and hymns. An old Spanish verse says... "Esta noche es Noche-Buena, Y no es noche de dormir" (This is the goodnight, therefore it is not meant for sleep.)

Unlike in England, children are not sent to bed early to make sure they are asleep when Santa comes. Santa has only recently started taking presents to Spain, traditionally children receive their gifts from the three kings on January 6th.

25th December - Christmas Day

Christmas Day is not the grand celebration that we have in England.  It is normally a quiet day for walks and going to church and generally recovering from Christmas Eve.

28th December - Santos Inocentes

This is the day of Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents) and is the equivalent of April Fools' Day when people play practical jokes on one another. Often the national media will include a nonsense story in their broadcasts.

The town of Ibi just inland of Alicante celebrates its ‘Els Enfarinats’ fiesta on this day every year.  A group of local residents take power from the local government in a fake battle where tomatoes, eggs, flowers and fire crackers are thrown in this tradition which is more than 200 years old.  The town centre becomes a large cloud of flour as the fight continues in the church square.

Anyone caught not obeying the "laws" of the fiesta government are covered with flour and have to pay a fine which goes to charity.

31st December - New Year's Eve (Nochevieja)

On New Year’s Eve, it is the tradition to wear red underwear but they have to be bought for you by someone else. Most towns organise street parties with entertainment and firework displays. Although not many go as far as the little town of La Font de le Figuera inland of Valencia. For the last 30 years children and adults alike have run through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento wearing nothing (or very little) expect for those red undies. 

At the stroke of midnight it is tradition to eat 12 grapes - one on each stroke of the clock to bring good luck for the New Year.