¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?

Christmas is nearly here and I hope you are all ready. I hope you are all going to have lots of free time off work to spend with your loved ones. In this lesson I will show you some useful Spanish Christmas vocabulary.

I don’t know if you are aware, but the most special day at Christmas in Spain is Kings’ Day (El día de Reyes) on January 6th which marks the coming of the Three Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos). Nowadays Santa Claus is quite well-known in Spain, but the real stars of Christmas and the bringers of the presents are Los Reyes Magos. Children write letters to Los Reyes Magos in December, or to their favorite King: Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar. They write about the things they’d like to receive on the morning of the 6th of January and about their behaviour throughout the year. If they’ve been good, they get presents; if they’ve been bad, they get a piece of coal. On the night of the 5th, the kids put their shoes by the door before going to bed so that the Kings will know how many children live there. They also put out something to eat and drink for Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar and their camels.

Let’s see then some Spanish vocabulary related to Christmas:

Navidad: Christmas
Nochebuena: Christmas Eve
El día de Navidad: Christmas Day
Nochevieja: New Year´s Eve
Año Nuevo: New Year
El día de Año Nuevo: New Year´s Day
El día de Reyes: King´s Day (Day of the three wise men)
Adviento: Advent
Misa de Gallo: Midnight Mass
Regalo: Gift/Present
Papá Noel: Santa Claus / Father Christmas
Reno: Reindeer
Trineo: Sleigh
Los Reyes Magos: The Three Kings / The Three Wise Men
La cabalgata de los Reyes Magos: The procession of the Three Kings
La noche de Reyes: King´s Night
Lotería de Navidad: Christmas Lottery
Fuegos artificiales: Fireworks
Cohete: Rocket
Villancico: Christmas Carol
Muñeco de nieve: Snowman
Adornos: Decorations
Vela: Candle
Árbol de Navidad: Christmas tree
Bolas de Navidad: Christmas balls / borbles
Espumillón: Tinsel
El Belén / El Nacimiento: The Nativity Scene
Tarjetas de Navidad: Christmas cards

Let´s see now some Spanish Christmas sweets:

Turrón: Nougat typically made with honey, almonds, sugar and egg whites
Polvorones / Mantecados: Small buns made with lard
Mazapanes / Figuritas de mazapán: Marzipan figures
Pan de Cádiz: Marzipan bread
Frutas escarchadas: Crystallized sugared fruits
Roscón de Reyes: King´s cake for the 6th Jan

Christmas in Spain is fantastic because it lasts for ages: from Nochebuena on the 24th December to El día de Reyes on January 6th. I am looking forward to eating far too much turrón and mazapanes this year, as I do every year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year! I will be back with many more beginner level Spanish lessons next year and look forward to seeing you then!

¡Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo!