Christmas is coming…
… and it’s wrapping us up in its charm, happiness and warmth, the things which make this season what it is. During this festive season, where the lights twinkle and the Christmas spirit fills our homes, come with us to discover some Christmas words which feature in conversation in Spanish-speaking countries during this very special time. Join us on this interesting linguistic tour whilst we explore some key Spanish vocabulary about Christmas. Have you got your notebook ready?
Villancicos and instruments
As is in any country, villancicos are a key part of Christmas. Villancicos (or carols in English) are popular songs, mainly of a religious nature, which are sung during the Christmas season. They tend to be heard during the whole Christmas season as much both at home and in the street, shops etc. Without a doubt, they spread the Christmas spirit in homes and shops. In schools, and in many homes, it’s common to teach children different carols which have been passed down from generation to generation – and it’s these carols which are often accompanied by percussion instruments, such as the zambomba (a Spanish drum) or the tambourine.
In some towns and cities, children go round in groups to ask the different houses in their neighbourhood for little Christmas presents: to get this, they sing carols and play instruments, and in exchange, their neighbours give them sweets, chocolate or a small amount of money (aguinaldo).
Nochebuena
The night of December 24th, or Christmas Eve, is otherwise known in Spanish as Nochebuena. If you are interested in learning about how Nochebuena is celebrated in Spanish speaking countries, don’t miss our free course about La Navidad en los países de habla hispana.
In Spain, the fairly new concept of Tardebuena is becoming more and more popular. Despite traditionally being a day that is very family-oriented, Tardebuena is made up of going out on the afternoon the 24th of December. Friends meet in wine bars, terraces or plazas to eat something and enjoy/spend the evening/afternoon together, before going home to eat dinner with family.
Nochevieja and cotillón
The last night of the year, otherwise known in Spanish as Nochevieja, invites us to bid farewell to the year gone by and welcome in the new one with hope and an abundance of happiness. In countries like Ecuador, the tradition is celebrated with a dinner at midnight, and hugs and wishes for the coming year are shared. For this festivity, Ecuadorian families burn large figurines, made from cardboard, representing a symbolic farewell to the past. On the other hand, in Spain twelve grapes are eaten during the last 12 seconds of the year, something which will bring lots of good luck for the coming year. This is one of the most well known Christmas traditions in Spain. Normally, to get the party started, guests are given a goodie bag (or cotillón in Spanish) which contains decorations or costume props, like glasses, paper hats, necklaces… as well as confetti, streamers, party horns, etc. Everything you need to start the year on a high!
Adornos or Christmas decorations in Spanish
Decorations, more than everyday decorative objects, are creations which adorn our homes during the festive season. From graceful angels to handmade creations made from recyclable materials, each decoration tells its own unique story. Amongst the most common are brightly coloured and shiny espumillones (or tinsel), coronas de adviento (or advent wreaths), used to decorate doors, and bolas or baubles, which are hung on the árbol de Navidad (Christmas tree).
If you spend Christmas in a Spanish-speaking country, you’ll surely hear lots of these words to do with Christmas in Spanish. Do you know any other words to do with this season? We can’t wait to read what you’ve written in the comments!
Martina Dioletta
Translated into English from Spanish article by Alexandra Cuesta
