Christmas in Madrid

I wanted to dedicate this blog entry to experiencing Christmastime in Madrid.  I’ve spent the last week or so talking with my students about the similarities and differences between Christmas in the US and here in Spain, and so I figured I’d share some of what I’ve learned, and some of what I’ve been doing in preparation for my first Christmas away from Maine and my family.

First and foremost: the lottery.  Spaniards are nuts about the “lotería de la Navidad” – or the Christmas lottery.  Walking through Sol last week (in the center of the city), there were lines out the door of every stand selling lottery tickets.  Apparently the lottery is a tradition that dates back to the 1800s, and the Spanish take it seriously.  Many coworkers go in on group lottery tickets, and don’t worry, I got in on the action at my school, almost by accident.  One of the English teachers asked me if I was interested in getting one of the school lottery tickets, and I said yes, figuring it would be 5 or maybe 10 euro at the most.  The next thing I know, she’s saying she’ll give my name to María Teresa and asking me to fork over 20 euro. That’s about $30!  But oh well, I was sucked in and now I’ll be waiting tomorrow afternoon for the announcement of the winners with everyone else.  I also get the impression that the announcement of the lottery winners is sort of like the unofficial kick-off of winter vacation – like we’ll be hanging around at school, listening to the announcement, and then we’re toasting to Christmas and vacation, and we’ll be outta there!

Another important thing to note is that while Santa Claus has gained some fame over here in Spain, he’s not a native concept.  Mainly brought by Coca Cola to sell soft drinks, Santa plays a secondary role to “los Reyes Magos,” or the Three Wisemen.  Just as the Three Wisemen brought gifts to the newly born baby Jesus, so the Reyes Magos bring lots of presents to the good boys and girls of Spain.  Another big difference is that the Reyes don’t pay their visit on December 25^th, but rather on the day of the Epiphany, the night of the 5^th of January.  So in some families, there are two days of gifts: Santa Claus comes on Christmas day, and then the Reyes Magos make their appearance in January.  But only about half of my students said they celebrate with both Santa and the Reyes, and of those, most said Santa only brought a gift or two, with the big stash being brought by the Wisemen.  Also, apparently in cities throughout Spain there are parades where the Reyes march through and throw out candy to the kids in the crowd.  I might try to catch the one in Madrid if it doesn’t coincide with travel plans.

The city is all decked out for the holidays as well. Huge light displays have gone up in the center of the city, with each neighborhood getting its own distinct style of display.  There’s a huge Christmas tree in Sol (not an actual tree, but rather a stylized plastic-light tree), and smaller ones in other major plazas around the city.  There’s also a series of nativity scenes.  My roommates and I are planning on doing a nighttime walking tour of the city once school finishes in order to see all the decorations – be on the lookout for pictures on my Picasa page!

And winter has arrived in Madrid just in time for Christmas.  In the past couple of weeks the temperature has dropped significantly, and we’ve even received some snow! (Less than an inch, and melted away a couple hours after it fell…pero bueno, still some snow).  As I write this, I’m sitting in my school watching a lovely mix of sleet and freezing rain come down.  The Spaniards complain about the cold incessantly (ay, qué frío…hace un frío que no puedes imaginar!)– and I have to say, most of the time I’m agreeing with them (even though I know in Maine it’s so much worse).  I think I’ve lost some of my resistance to cold since being here…probably a good thing I’m not headed back home for the holidays in that respect!

It will definitely be a little strange to spend Christmas and New Year’s away from my family and friends from home for the first time in my life.  I tried to bring some traditions from home to Madrid – on Saturday, my roommates and I hosted a little cookie-making party in our apartment.  I made my family’s traditional sugar cookies, and although I couldn’t find almond extract or cream of tartar, they came out pretty damn good.  Katie Rizzolo made some delicious peanut blossom cookies, and Katie Cóspito made her family’s “delicious cookies” – which are essentially Russian tea cakes, and were great.  Our friend Victoria brought over some very festive chocolate gingerbread cookie dough.  All in all, a very good time that made me feel a little closer to home.

But! Don’t despair, I’m looking forward to a relaxing Christmas in Madrid, and then December 30^th, we’re off to Istanbul for New Year’s! We’re going to spend about 7 days in Turkey (mostly in Istanbul, with the possibility of doing a side trip).  I have almost three weeks off from work (school starts again Jan. 11^th), and I’m looking forward to a break from work, getting to explore Madrid, and overall, our trip to Turkey!  So, Merry Christmas from Madrid, and check back soon for updates about vacation and Turkey.