?Christmas celebrated in Spain, Italy Help H.W.

[AnnaS]

Hi Everyone,

My daughter needs to write two short essays. She needs to know (for her Spanish class) how they celebrate Christmas in Spain - similarites/differences, etc. Same for italy.

PM or reply to this thread. I thank you in advance.

 

[mtblujeans]

My DS has a friend who was an exchange student in Spain last year. I can ask for his help but it might take a day or 2 to get back to you.....

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Spain: http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytraditions/traditions-spain.htm or http://www.santas.net/spanishchristmas.htm


Italy: http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/italy.html or http://www.californiamall.com/holidaytraditions/traditions-italy.htm or http://www.santas.net/italianchristmas.htm

 

[mtblujeans]

Ok, DS finally got me some info (sorry so late):

"Firstly, in europe Santa Claus wears green and white. Supposedly, its
American Coca-Cola that gave him a red suit.

In Catalunia christmas, there is an Iberian tradition [pre-european, its
native] that goes by the name of Caga Tio. I encourage you NOT to go about
translating that, because it is vaguely obscene. Anyway, Caga Tio
[pronounced caga tee-oo] is a log, with a face glued on, googly eyes and
all. The night before, all the kids hit Caga Tio with sticks, angering him
greatly. Then a blanket is placed on him, and everyone goes to bed. During
the night, Caga Tio's anger grows, and he expresses himself in the form of
flatulence. This gaseous emition is caught by the blanket and coelesces into
presents, which the kids then open the next day. So, the more you hit him,
the more angry he gets, the more presents you get.

Caga Tio's history is a strange one. He was once a man, and there is a whole
mythology there, he got turned into a tree, which got cut down into a stump, which spent its days being angry. Hence the homage to him is in the form of a log."

I guess for a teenaged boy, this was the most memorable part of a 'Spanish Christmas'.....!

 

[Megster]

I think in Spain they leave their shoes out on christmas eve. I'm not really sure about that tradition I just remember my teacher talking about it a few years ago.