6 Months to Spain: Week 10 | Holiday Edition
Thanks so much for joining me for week 10 of my 6 Months to Spain series. Last week, I focused on dining and traveling with Discover Spanish Unit 6b: ordering at a restaurant and modes of transportation.
Feliz Navidad!
This time of year is very festive time in Spain. The festivities officially begin on December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It’s a big day since the country’s patron saint is the Virgin Mary. On that night, a choreographed dance called Baile de Los Seises, or Dance of the Six is performed by 6 chosen children.
On the 24th, families traditionally gather together around the nativity scene and eat turron, an almond candy.
Interested in Turron? You can pick some up at La Tienda, my favorite Spanish store.
On the 25th, oil lamps are lit in houses and most attend a Christmas mass and a Christmas dinner. Afterwards, people flood the street for a good spot to watch the Jota, a traditional dance.
As I reported in Week 7, children don’t expect gifts on Christmas, but on January 6th when the Three Kings arrive to replace the straw in their shoes with goodies.
Have you ever tried to pick up a new language or learn more about a culture? If so, what are some tips or resources you found helpful?
As an educationist who is currently focusing on DIY learning, I believe we need a radically different approach to crediting learning that occurs in our daily lives. Informal, low-cost learning can play a huge role in developing human capital, communities, and businesses and I love to connect with those who share my passion.
Another fact about Spanish holidays are most also include ‘puente’. Puente (lit: bridge) is the day before or after a holiday when you also have off of work, if it does not fall on a Monday, Friday.
The first week in December also includes dia de la constiucion (Dec. 6). This year, the 6th was a Tuesday and the 8th was a Thursday, so most Spaniards had the 5th-9th off (Monday: puente, Tues: Constitucion, Wed: puente Thurs: Immaculada Fri: puente).
Also, learning a new language, one of the best things you can do is to learn some coloquial sayings, known as refranes or dichos. Saying that everyone and their mother know. Sayings are super popular in Spain and a lot of the times they rhyme.
Here are some good examples. http://www.lingolex.com/refranes.htm
Thanks so much for posting Ryan. Great comments from someone that knows! I had no idea the day Spaniards had off before or after a holiday actually had a name… It sounds like December is kind of one big siesta with all those days off at the beginning and end of the month.
The common sayings site is awesome (http://www.lingolex.com/refranes.htm)! Thank you so much for adding that in. I’m going to include it in a future post. It’s a great idea that I would have never thought of.
Keep the ideas coming!