Christmas are just around the corner, and I thought that perhaps you are wondering which is the Spanish word for, say, “carol”, “gingerbread” or “Santa Claus”.
So, in this article we will go through the different Spanish Christmas traditions. That way, you will learn the most important Spanish words related to Christmas in Spain, and at the same time you will enrich your culture. Two birds with one stone!
- Christmas. Christmas.
- feliz Navidad. merry Christmas. Literally, happy Christmas.
- new Year. new year.
- Santa Claus, Santa Claus. Santa Claus.
- wishes. whishes.
- (peace. peace.
- (love. love.
Spanish Christmas Songs
If there is one thing typical of Spanish Christmas, it is, of course, Christmas songs. When Christmas approaches, there is no single child in Spain that does not learn to sing songs like “Los Peces en el Río” or “Arre borriquito” at school.
Maybe the most typical (and, in my opinion, beautiful) Spanish Christmas song is “Campanas de Belén”. For your pleasure, you can hear it in this video:
Campanas de Belén Lyrics A bell over a bell and over a bell, one. Lean out of the window, you’ll see the Child in the crib. Bethlehem, Bells of Bethlehem, that angels play, ¿what news do you bring to me? Rounded up your flock, where are you going, little shepherd? I’m carrying to the Stable of Bethlehem cottage cheese, lard and wine. Bethlehem, … A bell over a bell and over a bell, two. Lean out of the window, because God is being born. Bethlehem, … Walking at midnight, Where are you walking to, shepherd? I’m going to take to the Child who is born, as well as to God, my heart. Bethlehem, … A bell over a bell and over a bell, three, on a cross, at this time, the Child will suffer. Bethlehem, … If the stars still light, Shepherd, where do you want to go? I’m going to the stable, in case the Child will let me die along with him Bethlehem, … Campana sobre campana y sobre campana, una, asómate a la ventana, verás al Niño en la cuna. Belén, campanas de Belén que los ángeles tocan, ¿Quénew you bring us? I picked up your flock, where are you going, shepherd? I'll take the cheese, butter and wine portal. Bethlehem ... Bell on bell and bell, two, peek out the window, because God is born. Bethlehem ... Midnight Walking where you walk pastor? I took the child that is born, as God, my heart. Bethlehem ... Campana sobre campana, hood and three, on this cross at this time the child will suffer. Bethlehem ... If even the stars give birth, pastor where are you going? I go to the website if he leaves the boy with me die. Belen, …
- (The) cruz. cross.
- star. star.
- pastor. shepherd.
- cantar. to sing.
- song. song.
- carol. carol.
- tocar (un instrumento). to play (an instrument).
- tambourine. tambourine.
- zambomba. Spanish friction drum.
Note: for more Spanish Christmas song lyrics, at the end of this article you will find interesting related resources.
Christmas Decorations
Another popular Spanish Christmas tradition are the decorations, like the Christmas tree, the street Christmas lights and, of course, the nativity scenes. A nativity scene is a depiction of the birth of Jesus, generally with figurines. It depicts at least the Child Jesus in the crib, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, but usually depicts also a lot of other figurines, such as shepherds, sheeps, villagers, the Three Wise Men on camels, etc.
- mantecado. Traditional Spanish Christmas sweet made mainly with lard, flour and sugar. Other common ingredients include cinnamon and sesame seeds.
- polvorón. Basically it is a kind of mantecado, oval shaped, and usually covered with powdered sugar.
- rosco de reyes. king cake. On January 6, it is a tradition to eat a king cake with a small trinket hidden inside. The person who finds it will have a lucky year.
- pan de jengibre. gingerbread (actually, not very common in Spain).
- marzipan. marzipan.
- chocolate. chocolate.
- champagne. champagne.
- cava. Another kind of sparkling wine, like champagne, but it is produced in Spain, mainly in Catalonia.
Other Spanish Christmas Traditions
- Christmas Eve. The night before Christmas, it is customary to organize family reunions, in order to have a dinner and celebrate together. A midnight Mass called Misa del Gallo (Rooster’s Mass) is also celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
- Día de los Santos Inocentes (Innocent Saints’ Day). On December 28, we commemorate the Biblical Herod’s slaughter of the innocents. On this day, all kinds of hoaxes and jokes (called inocentadas) are committed on friends and relatives. In this sense, it is the equivalent of the April Fools’ Day.
- New Year’s Eve. This day is also celebrated with a family dinner. At midnight, it is tradition to eat twelve grapes, one on each chime of the clock (well, as you can imagine, not everyone succeeds in doing that). Next, everybody drinks a toast, with champagne or cava, and the party goes on as much as we can take, specially young people.
- Epiphany. Spanish children do not address their letters to Santa Claus, but to the Three Wise Men. On January 5, big parades are organized, in which the Three Kings participate in person, even though they have a lot of work to do that night. By the way, some gossips are saying that the Three Wise Men are actually the parents, but that is not true ().
- Holidays. December 25 and January 1 and 6 are Spanish national holidays.
Related Spanish words:
- Nochebuena. Christmas Eve (literally, Good-Night).
- Nochevieja. New Year’s Eve (Old-Night).
- Epiphany. Epiphany.
- holiday, festive / holiday. holiday.
- fiesta. party.
- holidays. vacation, holiday.
- present. present.
- carta. letter (correspondence).
- tradition. tradition.
- tradicional. traditional.
- Congratulations Card. greeting card.
- Christmas card. Christmas card.
Oddly enough, another Spanish word for “Christmas card” is simply .
For more information
- Several (with audio).
- and recipes.
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