Navidad

I wasn't suprised when there were differences between what Manolo and I ate for breakfast or what time we went to sleep at, but I was suprised when Manolo and I began talking about Christmas traditions and found how wildly different the USA and Spain celebrate.

In USA the holidays focus on December 25th. On Christmas Eve some families gather for dinner but some do not. Some families go to church that night at midnight but most do not. On Christmas Day Santa comes, presents are delivered, everyone gathers around the Christmas Tree in the morning and opens gifts. Then an early dinner is eaten (typically ham or prime rib) and everyone goes home (or to bed). After this Christmas is over.

In Spain it is very different. Pretty much all families gather on Christmas Eve and do mass at midnight. Christmas Day is a big meal with lots of friends celebrating Jesus' birth. There are no gifts but this is when the real holiday celebrations begin. The holiday celebrations last aaaaalllllllll the way until January 6th which is 3 Kings Day. On this day way back when according to the bible is the day when the 3 Kings visited Jesus and gave him presents to celebrate his birth. To honor this day, presents are given to your immediate family and they give presents in return. No Christmas trees (big boo for that!). Instead the focal point of the holiday celebrations is a rather large and intricate nativity scene in each home.

Sevilla!

For those that have never been to Spain, it might be hard to imagine what Manolo's home town of Sevilla looks like. The video below shows various pictures from around Sevilla. Hopefully after watching you can begin to imagine the beauty, history, culture, and traditions that envelope you as soon as walk down the street. You'll see many pictures of a giant cathedral which is where Christopher Columbus is buried. For more history on the 2,000 year old city of Sevilla, read this wiki.

(The 2nd video is unfortunately the same song as the first but shows different areas of Sevilla.)

Romantico

Manolo and I are laying on the couch talking and Manolo informs me that when WE get married he wants a Metallica song to play as our first song. While I am very flattered that he thinks of us getting married after dating for only 6 months, there is no way in hell that a METALLICA song is playing at my hypothetical wedding. I tell him this and he makes me sit down and actually listen to the song. I must admit it was beautiful and the words were even more romantic.


His other choices for our future wedding: Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman by Bryan Adams which I also love and the Spanish guitar is amazing. The music video was filmed in Malaga which is near Sevilla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2KgzKETBw

As well as a Marc Anthony song that I had never heard before but is very romantic.

Año Nuevo

Last night Manolo and I were cooking dinner together and he asked me what I was going to be doing for New Year's eve. (I was really hoping to go to Spain for the Holidays but unfortunately at this time flight prices are $3,000 for a round trip ticket and out of my price range). I tell Manolo that I am not sure but it will most likely involve a nice dress, dinner with friends, drinking too much, a bar at midnight, and then home by 2am. Manolo was quite surprised to hear that this was a typical NYE in America.

Manolo explained to me that in Sevilla at 9pm on Dec 31 a large meal is eaten with your immediate family. You drink champagne and eat. As the clock begins bonging at midnight you stuff one grape into your mouth for each bong. It's supposedly very funny as the clock strikes 12 and your mouth is overflowing with grapes. You kiss everyone in your immediate family to celebrate the New Year. At around 1am you go to a friend's house to drink, sing, and play music. At 4am you go to the discos until 7am or later. At 8am (after breakfast) you stumble back home. While this does seem like a much more exciting NYE to me, I am not sure that I could handle partying all night from 9pm to 8am the next day!