# Christmas



## spanish_nomad (Sep 12, 2016)

Hi

We are going to be doing a long term apartment rental in Manilva over Christmas.

We would like to stay in a 'all inclusive' hotel for a few days at Christmas.

Please can anyone recommend a hotel close to Manilva (max 1.5 hrs drive away) for 24,25,26 December.

Thanks


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

You should find plenty of offers on TripAdvisor.

Do you want something that replicates the traditional English Christmas with mince pies, crackers etc and a big Christmas lunch on the 25th?

Or are you looking to "go native" and do the Nochebuena thing? Big four-hour meal on the night of the 24th and sleep through most of the 25th?


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## Evilbungle (Jul 8, 2016)

Alcalaina said:


> Or are you looking to "go native" and do the Nochebuena thing? Big four-hour meal on the night of the 24th and sleep through most of the 25th?


What is the traditional Christmas like? My daughter informs me that she is due to get a big present on the 24th December, lots of big presents on the 25th and even bigger presents on the 6th January. 

Not sure how much is true and how much is just hopefull thinking.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Evilbungle said:


> What is the traditional Christmas like? My daughter informs me that she is due to get a big present on the 24th December, lots of big presents on the 25th and even bigger presents on the 6th January.
> 
> Not sure how much is true and how much is just hopefull thinking.


Where I live, "Papa Noel" is a fairly recent arrival. There are few chimneys so he tends to climb up onto balconies. No signs of reindeer. He leaves small presents on the night of the 24th, which is when the big family dinners happen at home, and most bars and restaurants are closed.

On 5th January "Los Reyes" (the three kings) have a big parade through the village throwing sweets and presents to the crowds before delivering the main presents. Kids leave out carrots etc for the camels.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Papa Noel:










Los Reyes Magos:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Evilbungle said:


> What is the traditional Christmas like? My daughter informs me that she is due to get a big present on the 24th December, lots of big presents on the 25th and even bigger presents on the 6th January.
> 
> Not sure how much is true and how much is just hopefull thinking.


Yeah my daughters tried that one

When we first came we gave the main gifts on 25th Dec., and smaller ones on Three Kings

That gradually shifted the other way though.

Now that they are adults we tend to swap gifts on 24th or 25th Dec, simply because that's when none of us are working


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## Evilbungle (Jul 8, 2016)

Great Thanks! Is everything closed over Christmas? Are restaurants open, like some are back home?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Evilbungle said:


> Great Thanks! Is everything closed over Christmas? Are restaurants open, like some are back home?


Shops tend to close earlier than normal on 24th December.

Can't speak for Barcelona, but where I live most restaurants are closed on the evening of the 24th and also all day on 25th December. In tourist areas, some restaurants will be open and serving traditional British Xmas Dinners with turkey, etc. but you normally have to reserve in advance and I am not sure how good the quality is, never tried one.

Everything is open as normal on 26th December as it is not a public holiday in Spain.

On Noche Vieja (New Year's Eve) again shops close early and a lot of restaurants and bars close too (although again, in hotels and restaurants in tourist areas there will be Gala Dinners on offer). Everything is closed on 1st January.

One thing which pleasantly surprised me when I came to Spain is that buses continue to run on Xmas Day and New Year's Day, albeit on a reduced timetable.

I find Christmas here a lot more subdued than it is in the UK, personally I rather like that as the build-up to it doesn't last as long and the shops are less manic.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Some restaurants round here close on December 24th and don't reopen until after the New Year.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Bit like our post office.


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## ccm47 (Oct 15, 2013)

I get the feeling that Christmas in Spain was just anoooother fiesta in the Church calendar, until the Northern Europeans came down with trees, decorations and fairy lights. In Aguilas its very much a non-event still. Some shops close but that's mainly because people have gone to the mountains to ski and school is off. 
Semana Santa is, on the whole, much more important to the population. A wet Christmas would never have them weeping in the same way!
One aspect I do like is the traditional roast lamb for Christmas, which is what we now have, wherever we are.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

All very festive replies but not a single one addressing the original query. Ho Ho Ho, indeed


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## Helenameva (Aug 15, 2014)

Evilbungle said:


> What is the traditional Christmas like? My daughter informs me that she is due to get a big present on the 24th December, lots of big presents on the 25th and even bigger presents on the 6th January.
> 
> Not sure how much is true and how much is just hopefull thinking.


Christmas Eve in Catalonia is celebrated with El Tió, the crapping log. Kids only get little presents or food. 25th December now has a little bit of Father Christmas but a lot of families resist. My daughter gets her presents from her English family. Otherwise it's Els Reis on 6 January.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tió_de_Nadal


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## spanish_nomad (Sep 12, 2016)

Thanks everyone for your helpful response


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

ccm47 said:


> I get the feeling that Christmas in Spain was just anoooother fiesta in the Church calendar, until the Northern Europeans came down with trees, decorations and fairy lights. In Aguilas its very much a non-event still. Some shops close but that's mainly because people have gone to the mountains to ski and school is off.
> Semana Santa is, on the whole, much more important to the population. A wet Christmas would never have them weeping in the same way!
> One aspect I do like is the traditional roast lamb for Christmas, which is what we now have, wherever we are.


The main feature of the Christmas period where I live is not religion, and it's not about excessive shopping either. It's about people who moved away to other parts of Spain to find work in the past coming "home" for a week or two and reinforcing their family bonds. A lot of eating, drinking, singing and dancing is involved. Although I feel very much an outsider during this period, I do enjoy the atmosphere (and the weather is nearly always good enough for long walks on empty beaches!)


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

spanish_nomad said:


> Thanks everyone for your helpful response


Eh????

No one answered the question you asked !!!!


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

The Spanish I know usually eat fish on Noche buena. Some more affluent now have beef Wellington too Nothing special for Christmas Day. Decades ago when I first spent Xmas in Spain I thought it was great, no decorations,razzmatazz in the run up like the UK. Very low key. The Dia de Los Reyes was and probably is the most celebrated. Although on the CDS many have adopted both and it is catching up with the U.K. In the shops. I saw Xmas cards in a UK Charity shop last week


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