Happy New Year to all

Here's hoping Santa was good to you last week, and now we are looking forward to 2009 with a hope that its will be a good year for us all. To aid our wishes I thought you might wish to know how the Catalan people try to insure, good luck, health and happiness.

As I mentioned in the Christmas traditions post, firstly at the stroke of midnight on the 31st December you need to eat a grape on the chime of each bell. This tradition was said to be started in Spain because the king of Spain decided to give grapes to everybody to eat on New Year’s Eve when the harvest was a particularly big one about a hundred years ago. Others say it was the farmers’ way in Alicante to get people to eat the surplus, but who knows.

Wearing red under garments is also a hugely popular custom here, hence the reason you see so many red garments being sold at this time of year. The origins of this tradition was apparently started during the Middle Ages, when almost everything was forbidden. The colour red was always associated with the devil, blood or witchcraft. Even the planting and consumption of red crops such as tomatoes and peppers were banned. One could risk their lives dressing in red during that time. People wore red in secret because they believed red was the symbol of blood and life and that such a colour would bring them luck and fertility in the coming year. By the way, don’t get too attached to those new store bought knickers because according to tradition, you need to burn them the next day to ensure good heath, and happiness in the coming year.

Some snippets of the culture of Christmas in Catalunya

I thought you might enjoy these snippets of how the Catalan people enjoy the festive season;

• From 1st December Catalan children feed a hollow log with orange peel and bread every day without fail and they hope that on Christmas Eve the log will poo sweets for them.
• The Nativity scene is traditionally the centre of Christmas decorations in a Catalan house, and will always incorporate the pooing man in the corner of the stable.
  
• On Christmas eve it is not uncommon to see shoes outside houses in the towns and villages of Catalonia, as the children also hope these will be filled with sweets, when they go to get them of Christmas morning.
• Christmas Eve is also the time when friends get together in large numbers to celebrate with a special meal. This meal is made up of fish and seafood, cava and turron.
• Christmas Day traditionally is not celebrated in the way we do. The main meal will be family only and based around pasta.
• Mistletoe has the same meaning here as in other parts of the world, however only if it is given to you be a friend. If you buy it yourself the magic powers of the mistletoe will not work.
• The Catalan people celebrate New Years Eve with gusto holding large parties and drinking to excess. At midnight it is the tradition to go to the main village or town square and to eat one grape on the peel of each bell at midnight to give you good luck, health and happiness for the coming year. This does take place in Freginals.
• Traditionally the main celebration for the children takes place on the evening of the 6th January with the arrival of the three kings, and presents. All of the towns and villages arrange big parades for this, with the kings arriving by many means of transport such as the sea, river, and horses etc. The arrival of the kings is followed by a celebratory meal for the extended family in the home or local restaurant.
• The 7th January sees the start of the sales in the shops, which generally last for one month (credit crisis excepted)

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year - Bon Nadal.

Catalan Lessons

The Catalan lessons held at the school on a Tuesday and Thursday night from 7pm have now finished for the Christmas holidays.

These will re-commence on the 8th January 2009. If you still wish to join these lessons, please attend this next lesson with your NIE number.

Update on Catalan Lessons

I now have a final confirmation of the Catalan lessons. The first lesson will take place at the ajuntament on Tuesday 16th Dec at 7pm followed by a second lesson on Thursday 18th December. There will then be a break over Christmas with the lessons recommencing on the 8th January 2009. The final lesson will be on the 2nd February 2009.

For all of those interested, please go up to the ajuntament to see Sergi with your NIE number as soon as possible to complete the application form - although I am sure you will be able to complete this on the first night also.

In summary the first lesson is at 7pm on Tuesday 16th December (next Tuesday) at the ajuntament.

Unfortunately due to the timing of these lessons now, I will not be able to attend them.