New Year's Eve Spanish style

New Year's Eve (nochevieja) in Spain is a time for a partying just like in any other country in the world and it's also a time to spend with your family. There is an ancient tradition which dates back about 100 years and was started by some farmers who had too many grapes left after the harvest. They decided to eat 12 grapes, 1 at a time, each time the clock chimed at midnight. Since then, it's become a custom to do this and it's believed that if you don't, you will have bad luck for the next year.

All the Spanish TV stations show the same celebration which takes place in Puerta del Sol, Madrid. The presenters do a countdown (just before the actual chimes of the clock there are 4 higher pitched chimes which are known as “los cuatros” (the 4) and these announce the start of the actual chimes) and then everyone starts to eat the first grape, the next and so on at each of the chimes until all the 12 grapes have been eaten (often you're left with a mouthful of grapes as it's very hard to eat 12 grapes in such a short time). For each grape eaten it's believed to bring 1 month of good luck.

After eating the grapes, the parties start in earnest and often go on until about 6am. Even the children are allowed to stay up and celebrate as it's such a special time of year for the whole family.

Traditions in Spain:Turrón (Nougat)

Turrón (nougat) is a popular traditional sweet at Christmastime which is believed to have been invented in Jijona, a small town which is about 30 miles north of Alicante, over 500 years ago by the Moors (Arabic people).

Much of Jijona's economy is based on turrón production and there is also a museum which shows the production and history of it. This museum is based in the factory that makes the popular brands “El Lobo” and “1880” and if you are lucky enough to visit the museum from mid-June to mid-December, you can actually see it being made from a balcony high above the factory floor.

Traditionally, there are 2 basic types: soft Jijona or turrón blando, which is has the consistency of peanut butter and hard Alicante or turrón duro, which is a thick almond nougat candy which is very similar to peanut brittle.

Honey is a really important ingredient of turrón and this is produced by the bees who feast on the wild flowers which grow on the mountainsides all around Jijona. The honey and also the almonds which are found in the nearby orchards are mixed together to form the delicious turrón which is made by the candy makers who are known as turroneros. A Denomination of Origin for turrón was created in 1939.

Alicante and Jijona Turrón
In order to make Alicante or turrón duro, the almonds are chopped and mixed with the honey and then this is simmered over heat and is constantly stirred using large wooden spoons. Egg whites are then added in order to bind the mixture together and then it left to cool. It is then cut into pieces shaped like bricks and then it's wrapped in paper-thin wafer and is sealed in plastic and then packed. This is a relatively simple procedure, however the procedure for producing Jijona or turrón blando is more complicated. It's made by grinding the cooled turrón duro blocks with almond oil to form a sticky paste. It then gets reheated and is beaten for hours til it's formed a soft even mix. Egg white is then added to bind it and then it's cooled in square metal containers and then it gets cut into thick slices and is packed in plastic.

Other Varieties
There are many new different varities of turrón such as yema (egg yolk), praline, chocolate and kiwi.

Qualities of Turrón

There are different qualities of turrón and there are strict rules applying to the labelling as “Suprema” (supreme) or “Extra”. The best quality is the “Suprema” and to get that label, the soft turrón has to have at least 60% almonds. The hard turrón has to have at least 64% almonds. The next categories are the “Extra”, “Estánder” (standard) and “Popular” (popular). Most factories only produce the turrón “Suprema” or “Extra”. When the typical Spanish housewife visits the supermarket to buy the turrón for her Christmas dinner, she will look out for for the words “Suprema” or “Extra”. The chocolate turrón is delicious and has different qualities based on the percentage of cocoa and milk it contains: “Extrafino” (superfine), “Fino” (fine) and “Popular” (popular). It's made from a base of cocoa butter which is extracted from the cocoa beans. Some chocolate turrón has dried fruits and nuts mixed in the centre.

December 8th: Inmaculada Concepcion (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)

December 8^th: Inmaculada Concepcion (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)

This day was originally called the Conception of Mary and was founded in the 7^th Century in the Eastern Catholic Church but then spread to the West in the 8^th Century and the name was finally changed to the present name of the Immaculate Conception in the 11^th Century. Since the 18^th Century it has become a festival in the Roman Catholic Church.

It is based on the Catholic opinion that although she became pregnant, the Virgin Mary did not suffer the “original sin” because she was “filled by god” and therefore the conception was classed as “immaculate”.

It is a public holiday and is celebrated throughout Spain and is typically a day of additional church services. Whilst it's origins are of a religious nature it is also a popular feast where partying is just as important as the prayers to Mother Mary.

In Seville, a group of 10 choir boys dress in 16^th Century constume and perform “los seises” (the “dance of six”) which is an elaborate ritual of rhythmic dances and melodic songs and are performed in front of the Gothic cathedral in Seville.

Every university in Spain has “los tunos” which is an acoustic band formed by students and at midnight groups of traditionally dressed “tunos” sing and play old serenades to Mother Mary.

Throughout Spain people congregate in cities to get together to play a part in the street parties that go on.


As the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a National holiday throughout Spain the majority of businesses close but most restaurants, cafes and bars usually open.

December 6th: Constitution Day (Dia de la Constitucion)

Dia de la Constitucion (Constitution Day) is celebrated on December 6^th every year to commemorate the day in 1978 when Spain became a democracy.

After the dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975, a general election was held in 1977 and this resulted in the sitting of the Constituent Cortes (the Spanish Parliament, in its capacity as a constitutional assembly) for the purpose of drafting and approving a new constitution. The constitution was approved and was also accepted by the Spanish people in a referendum in 1978 and Constitution Day has since been celebrated as a national holiday on 6th December in Spain.

Since 1978 the constitution of Spain has only been amended once in order to enable the citizens of other European Union countries living in Spain the right to vote for candidates in local elections, as well as run for office themselves.

Despite the fact that nowadays not too many people in Spain participate in the celebration of Constitution Day, the majority of the Spanish reminisce about the 1978 referendum and are truly proud of their constitution.

Constitution Day in Spain is a national holiday and a day off and as it is such a festive occasion, the Congress of Deputies organizes an open doors day which means that everyone can visit the lower house of the Spanish parliament if they wish to do so.