Top Spanish Christmas Food Traditions you Need to Know

Want to celebrate a Spanish Christmas? Check out our guide to the Spanish Christmas traditions for an authentic experience.

As in most places around the world, Spanish Christmas is a time to gather with the family and celebrate. And as with most celebrations in Spain, this happens around the dinner table with a generous meal.

Nochebuena

Before gathering for Christmas Day, families come together on Christmas Eve. Nochebuena is one of the most important events of the festive period. As a result, it features some of the best dishes and delicacies.

There is no set dish for the Spanish Christmas Eve dinner. Traditionally, it was red cabbage with pine nuts. Roast turkey or lamb. Or even red sea bream. Nowadays, each family decides what they like best. But there is usually a good deal of seafood, either as a starter or as a main. I recently ate salmon cooked over a wood fire at Nochebuena.

What to drink at Spanish Christmas?

After the Nochebuena meal there are cheers with a glass of Cava, or sparkling wine, to celebrate the family reunion. This signals the time for an array of Spanish Christmas sweets to arrive at the table. These remain available on the table throughout the whole Christmas period.

Spanish Christmas sweets

Polvorones are a type of shortbread, made from almonds and flour. They are sweet, soft, very crumbly and quite dry. As a joke, children try to stuff a whole polvoron in their mouth and try to say the word Pamplona. Then, half of it usually comes out again.

Turron is a type of nougat, made with almonds or sometimes with pine nuts. These are rectangular or a circular in shape. Other turrones feature eggs and are softer and sweeter. Turron de chocolate is not so traditional but it is one of the kids’ favourites.

Mazapan is a very sweet marzipan presented in animal and Christmas shapes.Other sweets on display are nuts, like almonds and pine nuts, covered in chocolate or sugar. And Guirlache, a nut and caramel brittle.

Other Christmas traditions

At midnight on Christmas Eve, families attend Misa del Gallo, or the mass of the rooster. This commemorate the beginning of Christmas Day and the birth of baby Jesus.

Traditionally, children get their presents on January 6 from the Three Wise Men. But Santa Claus (Papa Noël) has become so popular he also brings presents on Christmas Eve.

In the Basque Country, they have their own traditional Santa Claus called Olentzero. Nowadays he dresses as a local farmer although legend has it he was a giant from the Pyrenees.

In Catalonia, they have their own tradition for receiving presents on the 25th. From the 8th December, families start to feed the Caga Tio (pooping log), a Christmas trunk with a face drawn on one side.  Then, on Christmas Day, the log ‘gives out’ gifts and presents for the children.

Remember to clean your shoes

Following tradition, everyone leaves their best pair of shoes, cleaned and polished, under the Christmas tree. On the morning of the 25th, children gather around the Christmas tree waiting for everyone to arrive so they can open their new presents.

Christmas Day features a big meal at lunchtime. It is possible family members around the table are different from the previous night. This is common in big Spanish families, where everyone has so many relatives. They have to move around to enjoy the festivities with everyone.

Throughout the whole Christmas period, it is common to see a Pesebre in every household . This is a representation of nativity scenes with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Town halls from around the country also organise a big Pesebre. And sometimes there are live representations of the Christmas story for everyone to enjoy.

Image: Alberto Ceballos