How to celebrate the new year in spain. Favorite holidays of the world: how is New Year celebrated in Spain? How Spaniards Celebrate
A wonderful country, the warmest in Europe. It is here that the most incendiary, cheerful, cheerful people are. By purchasing tours to Spain for the New Year 2018, you will see carnivals, various festivals, concerts, large-scale events right on the streets of the country. The Spaniards celebrate the New Year in the open air on a grand scale, as they are madly in love with the holidays. Celebrations in the country begin on December 25th. In Spain, locals call New Year's Eve "Old Night". They are carefully preparing for this holiday. Of course, it is unlikely that you will see snow here, but you will admire other sights that will be remembered for a long time in your memory and will leave unforgettable emotions. Tired of celebrating the New Year in front of the TV screen with a cup of Olivier, then go to travel to the fabulous country of Spain.
New Year traditions of the Spaniards
The Spaniards have an ancient and very beautiful tradition: when the chimes are struck, it is necessary to eat twelve grapes, one with each ringing. This ritual can be performed on the square of any city in the country where there is a huge clock. For the Spaniards, grapes symbolize wealth and prosperity.
Well, what is New Year's without a tree? But the Spaniards prefer the poinsettia flower more than this tree. The fact is that this unusually beautiful plant blooms on Christmas Eve and therefore many local residents associate the New Year with this particular flower.
As in other countries, children in Spain believe in Santa Claus, they only call him Olentzero. This is the same grandfather with a beard, only in traditional Spanish clothes and with whiskey in his hands. Olentzero leaves gifts not in shoes, but on the windowsill.
On the festive table there are various seafood and fish dishes, pies, tartlets, sandwiches, caraway cookies, almond cakes and much more, which the hostesses prepare with all their hearts. There is always a good tasty wine on the table, since Spain is famous for its winemaking.
Young people strive to wear red outfits and masks. It is believed that this color symbolizes good luck.
At midnight, people in the squares congratulate each other on the holiday. Even a stranger can give you a little trifle as a present. These are the friendly and hospitable people in Spain.
Where to go during the New Year holidays?
By choosing New Year tours in Spain you can visit the main square of Madrid Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. For spiritual relaxation, you can choose the Prado National Museum, which contains about 60,000 paintings. If you love visiting museums, there are a huge number of them. Among them are the famous Reina Sofia Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and others. Many will be surprised, but tourists go in droves to the Atocha railway station for an excursion. The fact is that on the territory of the station there is a gorgeous greenhouse, in which there are many types of tropical plants.
With children, you can visit the zoo and aquarium. However, this pleasure is not cheap. The cost of an adult ticket is 23 euros, and a ticket for children is 18.5 euros.
Prices for New Year's tours to Spain 2018
Finding for the New Year is almost impossible, so you need to take advantage of the early booking promotion. These actions are needed in order to save your finances and spend them on the right track. You can also choose the hotel or apartment that suits you best and is close to historical sites. The cost of a tour for two for a week will cost you about 70,000 rubles. Accommodation in a three-star hotel, meals and excursion program are included in the tour price.
A traditional holiday for most Catholic countries, of course, is Christmas. New Year is celebrated there on a smaller scale. And there are much less established customs. Today we propose to talk about how the New Year is celebrated in Spain. This country amazes those who come here with its originality and dissimilarity to other states.
History of the New Year in Spain
New Year in this country is called Año Nuevo. This day is the middle of the Christmastide period, which begins on December 25 and ends on January 6. Officially, the New Year was recognized only in the 16th century. However, then this holiday was not widely spread. Celebrating the New Year in Spain began only in the 20th century. Frankly speaking, New Year's traditions only continue the Christmas traditions, but there are also some peculiarities. Let's talk about them in more detail.
How do the Spaniards celebrate the New Year?
This holiday does not have the same family warmth as Christmas, but the Spaniards still love it very much. After a festive dinner with their families, the inhabitants of this country go to the main city square. In Madrid, the New Year is celebrated on the Puerta del Sol, in Barcelona - on the square. Catalonia. Everyone takes with them small bags containing 12 grapes. What is the reason for this? Probably, many have guessed, but more on that later.
The New Year turns the country into incredible fireworks: huge fire flowers bloom on the main streets of each city, torches and festive garlands are burning everywhere. By the way, festivities are usually broadcast on television and radio from the square of Madrid.
One of the most unusual traditions that the Spaniards observe on the most magical night of the year is the wearing of red underwear. Socks, underpants or garters - at least one of these items of clothing should certainly be bright scarlet.
Lot
What other traditions in Spain for the New Year? For example, in some places the custom of drawing lots is preserved. Boys and girls write their names on pieces of paper, and then draw them out. Thus, couples are obtained - "brides" and "grooms". By the way, in some settlements of the country this ceremony takes place at the church porch. The resulting couples are declared in love until the very end of the Christmas season.
Tradition of 12 grapes
Celebrating the New Year in Spain cannot be imagined without this original tradition. Before the clock strikes, you need to have time to eat 12 grapes, each of which is a symbol of the successful month of the coming year. In this case, it is important to be in time and spit out the bones - before the striking of the clock ends.
This interesting tradition began at the end of the 19th century. And it happened quite by accident. Then in Vinalopo it was possible to collect an unprecedentedly large harvest of grapes. Someone came up with the idea to take the surplus to Madrid right before the New Year, where to distribute it absolutely free, so that everyone can appreciate the taste of the fruits from this region of the country.
Then there was another idea - to swallow grapes to the chimes in the square, where people are having fun. The custom stuck. Today, on New Year's Eve, the Spaniards think about their most cherished dreams. By the way, it is not at all necessary to limit yourself to only 12 grapes. The Spaniards believe that all grapes eaten on the main night of the year bring financial well-being and ward off the dark forces throughout the year. It is also customary to use sweets: turron, dried fruits and chocolate will bring happiness and prosperity to the house.
There is another custom: when going to someone to wish you a Happy New Year, you should take with you a gift basket with a bottle of champagne and nougat.
Kaganer
One of the strangest and at the same time the most typical representatives of Spanish culture can be safely called the Kaganer.
The history of its appearance is unclear. Historians believe that this impudent little man, relieving himself, appeared in Spain in pre-Christian times and was a symbol of fertility. The stubborn Spaniards did not abandon their tradition even when the Catholic priests proposed to renounce the pagan symbol.
Since then, Spain has celebrated the New Year, combining two cultures at once - Christianity and paganism. The presence of a kaganer is a sign of well-being and prosperity in the coming year.
New Year's menu
What is the difference between the New Year in Spain and the Russian celebration? First of all, in the land of bullfighting and flamenco it is not customary to cook too many different dishes on this night. Usually they get by with light snacks and no less light alcohol. The fact is that after midnight, young people go to various entertainment establishments, while representatives of the older generation usually return home.
What is being prepared here to celebrate the New Year? In Spain, it is customary to serve "Russian salad", which includes boiled potatoes, tuna, boiled eggs, natural yogurt or mayonnaise. There are options with the addition of cucumbers, olives, canned peppers.
A magical night will not do without a variety of appetizers from meat, fish, seafood. There must be grapes and turron on the table - a sweetness that is made from nougat, honey, fried almonds and sugar.
"Kava"
Celebrate the New Year in Spain with light sparkling wine. As a festive drink among the Spaniards, it is customary to serve an analogue of champagne called "Cava". What it is? A real sparkling pride of the country, a great sparkling drink. On this holiday alone, residents and guests of this state consume about 60% of the total production of "Kava".
This drink is made from white grapes and aged for at least 9 months. Kava is ideal with sweets, cold meats and cheeses, fish and seafood snacks. The drink is served very cold, while it is not recommended to cool it in the freezer - because of this, the drink may lose its aroma and taste.
Spanish Santa Claus
What is a holiday without symbols and heroes? Santa Claus in Spain is called Olentzero. He wears a national homespun costume and always carries a flask with excellent Spanish wine. The name of this winter wizard can literally be translated as "time for good people." One of the legends says that Olentzero is a native of the Basque race. It was he who first learned about the birth of Jesus and went down to the valley to convey this joyful message to people.
There is another legend, according to which the baby Olentzero was found in the forest by a fairy. She passed it on to an elderly couple who dreamed of children. After his parents died, Olentzero tried to somehow escape from loneliness. For this, he began to make toys and give them to children. The man was a coal miner, so his clothes were always stained with soot. Once Olentzero saved children in a fire, but he himself died. But the fairy wished that the good-natured person would live forever and give those around him joy. Since then, it is this character who has been leaving gifts on the balcony.
A whole army of wizards help Santa Claus in Spain, including fairies, wise men, Papa Noel and even a magic log. By the way, the main holiday for Spanish children is not New Year or even Christmas. Here children receive gifts on the Day of the Magi, also called the Day of the Three Kings. It is celebrated on January 6. On the eve, carnival processions are held in the country, which traditionally end with the speech of the Magi. Every year, children look forward to hearing what they have to say. The speech of the wizards is always the same: "Every child will receive a present this year!"
Present
Before celebrating the New Year, it is customary in Spain to prepare gifts. The main present that is customary to give is "cotillion". This small handbag is filled with various attributes of the celebration: streamers and confetti, colorful balloons, carnival masks and many other interesting things are collected in it. There is a rule: you can open the cotillion only after the clock strikes midnight and Happy New Year greetings are heard.
By the way, the average Spanish family spends about 530 euros on gifts for friends and family.
August 11, 2016 16:26 Zurich - Switzerland, Madrid, Barcelona - Spain, Munich - Germany January 2014
This was the first New Year that we did not meet at home, in Russia and not at the festive table. The trip turned out to be active: 3 countries, 4 cities and 6 flights.
It all started on December 28 with a morning and very early flight from Moscow to Munich. In Munich, we had no more than 6 hours for a walk. Great praise for the railway transport in Germany, everything is very simple - you buy tickets from the machine, of course, you can choose the language quickly, and most importantly, clearly on the schedule, which is very important when viewing the city when you have a long connecting flight. Arriving by S-Bahn to the city center, we found ourselves on the central square of the city - Marienplatz, dark, uncrowded and dismantling all the Christmas beauty. About +7 degrees and very quiet. The town turned out to be very quiet, cozy, and, it seemed to me, typical German. Nice, restrained, clean. We were very upset that all the decorations for Christmas had been dismantled on December 28, we knew that the fairs would end on December 24-25, but that absolutely everything was being removed was a surprise.
Due to the fact that we had only 6 hours, we were able to see only the central part of the city, after a walk, we went to a restaurant. From food we tried sausages: white Munich and red, cabbage, mashed potatoes and beer, the food is average, I generally realized that I do not like German and Austrian (Viennese) cuisine. All this cannot be compared with Czech cabbage and shanks. Then we took the same S-Bahn train back to the airport, it turned out that only the back of the train goes there. We would have left in the other direction from the airport, if not for the caring Germans. They saw that we were with a suitcase (in Germany, amazingly cheap things were at the time of the exchange rate 1 euro = 43 rubles, and then we bought a suitcase for 50 euros and managed to buy a lot of things on a shopping street, not far from the square). We had to hastily run across with a new suitcase full of things.
I especially want to note the inspection at the airport, if the Italians do not care what you are taking there, where you are going and whether you are going to stay here, then the Germans checked everything - documents, reservations, return tickets, the purpose of the visit, and very seriously inspected everyone, then there was these high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe, and they were still on the alert. We flew to Munich, and from it to Barcelona with Lufthansa, everything is very good, tasty, cozy, only they have scary landings, the plane seemed to fall on the ground both times.
Barcelona.
The second city was Barcelona, we stayed here from the evening of 28 to 31 December. We arrived in the evening and wandered in the center for a very long time in search of our hotel near the Plaza de España. It turned out that the hotel was under our noses and we were just wandering. The Onyx Fira hotel turned out to be pleasant, with internet in the room and in the very center of the city. The fact is that Fira is an exhibition complex not far from the square, and everyone sent us there, but the hotel has a sign on the side, and it is simply not visible. After walking around the square in the evening, and eating local food in Tapa-tapa (they have delicious potatoes with ham), we went to bed.
The morning began with breakfast, we try not to take breakfast at the hotel, it rarely tastes good and there is no national food either. Spaniards have very strange breakfasts. There are 2 options, or you will be offered a baguette (bun, panini, whatever) stuffed with tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, a little greens and ham, maybe with cheese, or you will be offered churros with hot chocolate. In general, I don't associate this food with breakfast, but churros deserve attention. These donuts are considered a national delicacy in Spain, in Barcelona they are often sold with a filling - white cream or chocolate, I have never met with a filling in Madrid. On all our trips, my husband and I love to wander around the city on our own, we can find it under 30 km a day.
Barcelona generally disposes to such walks, there is something to see and where to go. In addition, the weather at the end of December is beautiful, it reminds me of our Moscow September in a good year. In the afternoon about + 18-20, in the evening 12-15. I even wet my feet in the sea and lay on the beach. From the Plaza de España, we went to the fountain and up the Fira complexes to the observation deck. The city is stunning, perhaps one of the best that I have seen: warmth, sea, beach, palm trees, sun, blue sky and a view of tiled roofs, as well as a sea of flowers, palms, greenery and tangerines on the trees, this is a very incomplete characteristic of Barça. We really liked it near the port and on the embankment in general, we reached the Olympic rings, in the 90s there was an Olympics. The impression of the city is a fairy tale, from which one does not want to leave.
But the Barcelona metro is something terrible, uncomfortable platforms, no decoration, water is pouring (!), Holes in the walls, and it's not cheap, besides, a zonal system in which I have not figured out to the end. For 2 full days there we walked around the city from 2 different sides, saw Gaudí's Sagrada Familia, La Rumba boulevard, Plaza de España and Plaza Catalunya. We did not have time to get up on the lift, even in December there was a very long queue, the staff said, not less than 2 hours, but we did not have so much time for idle time, we wanted to see more. Anyway, you need to return to Barsa, preferably when the water is warm. Regarding the New Year, in Europe it simply does not exist, there are few trees, there are even fewer decorations, in Moscow the holiday is felt much more. There were Christmas trees in Barcelona, they were not removed until the New Year, as in Germany, but they look very strange against the background of palm trees. Usually in Moscow at the end of December I always have a festive, New Year's mood, in warm Spain it was not at all, it seemed to me that I was somewhere in September.
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In the afternoon of December 31, we moved to Madrid. Our flight lasted only 50 minutes, no complaints about Iberia. But the composition on the plane was cheerful, apparently, the families flew for the New Year, because there were only children and parents on the plane, many babies. I really love children, but when a wild cry does not stop for 50 minutes around you, and I feel sorry for them, but it's terrible. We stayed at the Vita Anglet Hotel, I liked it there. On December 31 and New Year's Eve, we spent this way: we walked around Sol Square (the center of Madrid must be told about it separately), went into an unsuccessful restaurant, burned sparklers and walked in a warm coat, unlike Barca, where jeans + a sweatshirt and sunglasses were ideal dress code.
In the room, we opened champagne, bought in a small store from a Chinese, we had a ham, a baguette and amazing Philadelphia cheese, and tangerines with chocolate. For the future, I realized that if you are going somewhere for the New Year, you should take care of the meeting place for this holiday in advance. Options in Madrid: a random restaurant, which we did, went to a restaurant at 23 o'clock, the only thing that reminded of the holiday was the replacement of the usual menu with another, no, don't think that atm there were special dishes, the same, but all prices multiplied by 2. After sitting there for 30 minutes in the company of another Russian couple and several Chinese, watching TV in Spanish, we realized that it was better to celebrate at the hotel, where we had supplies and champagne. We went out into the street waiting for the fireworks, burned the sparklers brought from Moscow and disappointed, there were maybe 20 volleys, the fireworks lasted about 1.5 minutes.
People dressed in wigs and funny headbands began to disperse from the central square; at 1 am the square was empty. And now the most surprising thing, at 9 am we went out into the street ... and found that by Russian standards, there was no holiday. Broken glass? Extinct streets? Drunk and merry company? No, you haven't heard. Well, and there are no special decorations, slides, trees in the city, there is one tree - more likely a yellow metal structure was on the square. On the street at 9 am, half of the shops were open, almost all the restaurants, there were a lot of people! No scope for celebrationJ We walked first to the Bank of Madrid and the museum quarter, the Retiro Park. We went into a Catholic church, there was a service. We saw the building of the Prado Museum. At that moment it started to rain, my German ugg boots began to get wet, we hurried to the room to change. In general, the weather in Marida and Barcelona is sharply different, in Barcelona it was our September, with pleasant +18, in Madrid - November with +7 in the day and +1 at night, you will definitely need an umbrella here.
In the evening we went to the central street, and found the Plaza de España, and on it a monument to Cervantes (Don Quixote and Sancho Panza). About the Place de Sol. It turned out very funny, we went far from our hotel and decided to see also the central square de Sol, somehow according to the guide, with the help of questions from the local population, we managed to get there, when we came, we laughed for a long time! It turned out that this was the first place that we saw in Madrid, and we lived 5 minutes from it and celebrated the New Year on it, but we did not recognize the name.
Comparing 2 Spanish cities, I would definitely prefer Barcelona. Madrid is an interesting city, but Barça is a universe that you don't want to leave. If I were now dividing the days between Madrid and Barcelona, then Madrid would have got 2 days, no more.
We flew from Madrid with Iberia (we also flew in), with the registration itself, rather strange, but they did not charge us 60 euros for luggage and we saved, it was nice. In Barcelona we had an evening and an incomplete night. We stayed in a hotel near the airport (however a taxi to the airport cost us 32 euros!). And all the taxi drivers are girls! Best Western Alpha Aeroperto, 4 stars, high-tech room, but there is nothing near the hotel at all. The morning started at 3 o'clock, taxi, flight to Zurich.
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New Year
New Year in Spain is a great solution for people who want to celebrate it in a warm climate, but at the same time in Europe. TEZ TOUR guarantees: this is exactly what you need! Even in Catalonia in winter, the air can warm up to +20 degrees. And even more so in Andalusia, which looks at hot Africa through Gibraltar.
In Spain, you can have a wonderful Christmas vacation. This cheerful southern people - lovers of siesta - know a lot about the holidays. They walk here for a whole month, starting on December 6, when Constitution Day is celebrated, which spills over into the holiday of the Immaculate Conception (December 8). Christmas is preceded by noisy fairs. Next comes Nochebuena Christmas Eve.
On December 28, the Spaniards have April Fools' Day, just like our April Fools Day - with funny jokes and practical jokes. After a little rest, they celebrate the New Year. And Epiphany (Bethany) crowns a series of winter holidays. All holidays are celebrated very violently. Spaniards do not like to sit at home at the table. They take to the streets, arrange bright costumed carnivals, festive processions, and have fun day and night. So you have a great opportunity to get into this merry festive whirlpool.
Sitting at home on New Years (Ano Nuevo) is considered bad form here. Only a festive dinner is held with the family. And then on the square - have fun! The Spaniards have their own wonderful traditions, which you can also join to feel the spirit and taste of Spain.
The main festive square in Spain is Puerta del Sol in Madrid. On New Year's Eve (Noche vieja), here, as in Italy, it is customary to eat 12 grapes at each beat of the clock, making wishes - one for each month of the new year. But, unlike the Italians, in Spain they take the issue very seriously. These twelve grapes are even sold pre-packaged in local stores.
This tradition is almost 100 years old, and it goes back to the times when, in a year of especially rich harvest, the king ordered to distribute grapes to all Spaniards. This is a whole ritual. You need to have time to eat a grape every 3 seconds after each hit of the clock. Moreover, the bones must be spit out before the clock strikes. And then your wishes will certainly come true. So, if you decide to celebrate the New Year in Spain - practice!
Everything that is not eaten is thrown by the Spaniards in different directions (here they generally love to scatter different products), drink champagne, sing and dance, rattle firecrackers, sprinkle each other with streamers and confetti! The festivities continue until five in the morning, after which the Spaniards go to a cafe to drink hot chocolate, eating churros.
Another tradition in Spain was born relatively recently - to celebrate the New Year only in red lingerie. And then he will be sure to be happy and successful. Add the grapes you have eaten here - and you will understand that it cannot be otherwise! And young people love to arrange New Year's fortune-telling. The names of the guys and girls are written on the leaves, which are put in two baskets. Then each one pulls out a piece of paper, recognizing the name of his other half. So, if you have not yet met your destiny - you definitely need to go to Spain!
Even Santa Claus is unusual in this amazing country. His name is papa Noel, he is dressed in a national costume, he is holding a bottle of Cava in his hands, and he leaves gifts right on the balconies.
Once in Spain, it is a sin not to visit other cities. Barcelona, Toledo, Segovia, Valencia, Granada and many others are waiting for you. Each of them has its own flavor and its own unique charm. Snow is not a question either: head to the Sierra Nevada ski resort.
You will bring a lot of impressions from Spain, and a piece of your soul will remain in this warm, southern, beautiful country, to which you want to return again and again!
For the Spaniards, the New Year is a noisy and cheerful holiday. By dressing in all red, you guarantee yourself good luck next year. The Spaniards love New Year's festivities so much that during all the holidays, cinemas and theaters are closed so that every Spaniard can go out and have fun there. Therefore, it is preferable to celebrate the New Year in public places, rather than sitting at the table at home. There are no problems with entertainment in Spain - fortune telling, fireworks and dancing always accompany this holiday. Many Spaniards use special flowers to decorate their homes in the form of a Christmas star - poinsettia, which blooms just before Christmas. Confetti, sweets and sweets are generously scattered on the streets so that everyone who walks it is clear that everything bad remains in the outgoing year.
The main character at the New Year's holiday is Olentzero, which is significantly different from other Santa Clauses. Firstly, he is dressed in a national costume, and secondly, instead of a bag with gifts, he has a bottle of wine in his hands, and, thirdly, children find gifts on windowsills, and not in shoes or socks. However, it also brings fun to the holiday.
Keeping up with other Europeans, the Spaniards prefer to celebrate the New Year with the street, city and country. The ideal place would be the central square where the Spaniards gather. It is there, under the striking of the clock, that you need to swallow 12 grapes and spit out the seeds before the last beat of the clock is heard, then all 12 wishes that you make while swallowing berries will come true. In old cities, city dwellers can begin to remember the whole past year, summing up the results and giving the groundwork for the new year. And at this time, young people, by pulling names from the bag, form pairs for the whole New Year's Eve, which can then develop for the rest of their lives. You can also give a traditional bag with gifts - "cotillion", which must be opened in the first minutes of the new year. The content of the cotillion is quite traditional - balloons, carnival masks, streamers and confetti, but this does not become less expected and truly enjoyable.
The Spaniards are happy to walk all New Year's Eve, because they only go to work on January 6th. Before going to work on January 5, the Spaniards celebrate the night of the Magi, which is a continuation of the New Year's festivities. On this day, it is also customary to give gifts, as well as pay tribute to the camels of the Magi, leaving treats in the form of hay and water for them in the courtyard and on the balconies. And, of course, carnivals and festivities accompany this holiday. How the Spaniards go after such a busy vacation, only they know!
