# Christmas in Calahonda



## marie&kim (Jun 16, 2011)

Hi,

I will be moving to Calahonda this September and was wondering if anyone could let me know what Christmas is like. Do shops, bars, supermarkets etc close down over the xmas period and, if so, for how long. Would be very grateful for as much information as possible.

Many thanks
Marie


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Not around here they don't . Most bars are open & it's only the one day as well. the 26th is a normal working day except if it's a sunday.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

As an expat who has lived in various countries I have to say.. there is no place like the UK when it comes to Christmas


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> Not around here they don't . Most bars are open & it's only the one day as well. the 26th is a normal working day except if it's a sunday.


same here - the supermarkets & shops only close on Xmas day - bars & restaurants open


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

MaidenScotland said:


> As an expat who has lived in various countries I have to say.. there is no place like the UK when it comes to Christmas


Which is a very good reason to be somewhere elselane:


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> As an expat who has lived in various countries I have to say.. there is no place like the UK when it comes to Christmas


Christmas in Prague was 100% better than in the UK, though.
Carp, not turkey, is the festive dish and for weeks before Christmas the street stalls are set up to sell these horrible, tasteless bony fish.
There is nearly always a deep covering of snow and each of the Christmases we had there it snowed.
On Christmas Eve the Old Town Square is floodlit for a performance of an al fresco chamber concert. Our first Christmas we attended a performance of a Czech Christmas Mass (can't remember the 17th century composer) with choir and orchestra.
There is a huge, plain fir tree in the square which is surrounded by beautiful former palaces and the old Town Hall.
Stalls sell gluhwein and cinnamon cookies.
In our village 5 miles from the city centre there was an open air crib etc. by the church and on Christmas Eve there was a procession from village to village across the snowy fields which ended with an open-air Mass at our church.
Even OH, who is deeply opposed to all religions, was impressed in spite of herself.
But sadly, like everywhere else, it's becoming more and morea commercialised salesfest.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

In my experience Christmas happens, but it's not such a big event, at least where I am.
Bigger celebrations take place at New Year and Reyes (kings day) on the night of the 5th, day of the 6th of January. The giving of presents to children at Christmas is gaining in popularity, but it doesn't stop everything in its tracks like it does in the UK.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> As an expat who has lived in various countries I have to say.. there is no place like the UK when it comes to Christmas


No. And just to make absolutely sure nobody misses out, they start playing Christmas songs in the shops on 1 November, as soon as they've cleared out the Halloween merchandise!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> No. And just to make absolutely sure nobody misses out, they start playing Christmas songs in the shops on 1 November, as soon as they've cleared out the Halloween merchandise!


do they really wait that long??

I seem to remember 'back to school' stuff from before the summer hols

xmas stuff as soon as they go back in september

& easter eggs as soon as xmas is over


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> do they really wait that long??
> 
> I seem to remember 'back to school' stuff from before the summer hols
> 
> ...


Stock takes up one heck of space. I used to work for Celebration Arts and I can tell you our Christmas cards were sent out to shops in the summer months if you had missed your deadline of ordering by April/May then no cards for your shop.


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## mrnkar (Feb 25, 2011)

Alcalaina said:


> No. And just to make absolutely sure nobody misses out, they start playing Christmas songs in the shops on 1 November, as soon as they've cleared out the Halloween merchandise!



What I loved in the run up to Christmas in Spain was the fact that you could move freely about the shops, the queues never seemed long. No standing waiting about an hour to pay for things, it actually made Christmas shopping pleasant, not stressed like I got in U.K.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

In the end it's really quite simple. If you love Christmas then do Christmas just as you would have done in UK. It isn't the same here, nothing like, but they make up for it with their festivals and ferias. We had our first Christmas here last year and loved it because it was identical to what we did in UK. My parents were here and hated it because the hustle anbd bustle wasn't here but tbh that bit I could do without. If you choose to live here then you have to accept the way it is. But it doesn't stop you doing it your way.


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