Discover the Magic: 8 Unique and Entertaining Christmas Fun Facts from Spain!

1. Fifteen Days of Spanish Christmas

In Spain, they don't just wish you a Merry Christmas – they go grande or go home! Deck the halls with boughs of holly and paella, señoras and señores: Christmas in Spain lasts a whopping 15 days, from December 22nd to January 6th, and boasts distinctive festivities like the El Gordo lottery, the Tió de Nadal log, and even the Reyes Magos parade.
Source => housinganywhere.com

2. Zambomba-Playing Wise Men Trio

Move over Santa, there's a new gift-giving trio in town, and they come bearing zambombas – and we're not talking about the explosive kind: In Spain, it's the Three Wise Men, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar, who deliver gifts to well-behaved children during the festival of Three Wise Men on January 6th, marked by extravagant parades or "cabalgatas" across various towns and cities, featuring floats, shepherds, dancers, and musicians playing the traditional zambomba instruments.
Source => hiddeninspain.com

Did you know that in Mexico, a seven-pointed star piñata helps conquer the seven deadly sins during Christmas? Discover how this festive tradition signifies the triumph over vices and showers everyone with candy and toys!

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-In-Mexico

3. Manger-ificent Belénes

Spain's Christmas decorations put the "manger" in "stranger danger" with their larger-than-life nativity scenes: Beloved "belénes" take center stage during the holidays, outshining Christmas trees with intricately crafted displays of tiny towns, complete with live sheep, donkeys, and the occasional Guinness World Record-breaking belén found in Alicante.
Source => anythingbutpaella.com

4. New Year's Grape Countdown

Forget counting sheep, Spaniards count grapes to bring in the New Year: In Spain, the tradition involves eating 12 grapes at midnight on every New Year's Eve with each grape symbolizing good luck for the upcoming months, and this practice has become so popular that it's even broadcasted live on TV!
Source => spainisculture.com

5. Present-Pooping Log Tradition

In the wild world of festive defecation, Catalonia really knows how to let the Yule logs roll: During Christmas time, families feed a wooden log with a smiling face, known as Caga Tió, until Christmas Eve when children hit it to "poop" out small presents, while a hidden figurine called Caganer, depicting a defecating man in Catalan attire, brings good luck in nativity scenes.
Source => fisarentals.com

6. El Gordo: The Money Rain

Who says money doesn't grow on trees? In Spain, it seems to rain from the sky during Christmastime: The oldest and biggest lottery in the world, El Gordo, showers over 2.5 billion euros upon lucky Spaniards who participate, with an estimated 75% of the population joining in the fun. Just to clarify, "El Gordo" or "the fat one" refers to the winning first prize number, not the lottery itself or Santa's waistline!
Source => barcelonayellow.com

7. Holy Pooper at Nativity Scenes

Well, folks, "poop" culture isn't just for the Internet anymore: In Catalonia, you can find traditional nativity scenes featuring none other than a figurine called "El Caganer," which depicts a cheeky peasant dropping a deuce..err.. defecating. This not-so-subtle reference to the porcelain throne doesn't symbolize luck or prosperity but serves as a levelling technique to poke fun at authority figures and reveal the playful nature of the Catalan people. So grab your Catalan red hats and hold onto your "holy" pants, because sometimes, when you gotta go, you gotta go, even if it's at the nativity scene!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Grape-gorging New Year Laughs

Navigating the grapevine faster than a hot piece of office gossip: In Spain, on New Year's Eve, people eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight to symbolize good luck for each month of the upcoming year, with the goal of finishing them all before the final chime - a task that often results in chuckles and chortles amid the frantic consumption.
Source => blog.spainintheusa.org