The spirit of Christmas

Lost but now it is found

 Big sigh of relief!!    I thought I had lost it!  

I was so happy to find Gracie's snowflake which I couldn't find last year when rapidly setting up my Christmas tree the day before Christmas Eve. This year as I have all the time in the world I was determined to find it.I searched high and low among the boxes and bags which I use for the Christmas decorations and finally I found it scrunched up in a corner of a box. I have washed it and blocked it and it looks as pretty as a picture. Gracie from One Saylor's Log sent this to me in the Snowflake swap we shared back in 2012.   

"I found it Gracie and as you can see from these photos taken today it is there on my tree once again 🌲😁"

Christmas with a few differences.

Understandably every country celebrates Christmas in their own way .In the case of Spain the religious influence is very evident throughout. Spain is traditionally a country of Nativity scenes more than Christmas trees. 

 

The Nativity Scene set up in the town of Villena, Alicante province.

 I have in the past posted about the different customs here but there are a few other customs the Spanish enjoy over Christmas and are very much a part of their culture too.

 

 

 The National Christmas Lottery 

Millions of Spaniards buy a lottery ticket or two,  all eager to try their luck to win the big jackpot, known as El Gordo (which literally means “the fat one”).  If you’re thinking that the Spanish Christmas lottery seems to be a much bigger deal than most other lotteries you’re familiar with, you’re not wrong.One important thing about this lottery and the reason why it is so popular is that it is shared. It becomes very much a family affair, one coupon can be bought per family and each member of the family pays their part of the coupon. Businesses or groups of friends also do the same they buy a cupon which is divided out between all, again each person paying their share. Everyone is glued to the TV on 22nd December to hear who has won the first prize which is "The Fat One"   

 I have just checked my two lottery coupons and we weren't lucky this year but that is the way it goes. Next year we will try our luck again!😁

 

The sweet stuff 

 

Pastelitos de Gloria

 

 

 

Delicious Gloria cakes,full of marzipan.

 

Roscon de Reyes

The traditional sweet roll with little gifts inside eaten on the Night of the three Kings...Twelfth Night.

and

Turron (nougat) famous the world over. I even saw it for sale in Brisbane when I was visiting my sister in Australia.

 

Sr P absolutely loves it and always buys for Christmas.

 

Main dish

It  has to be of course the traditional "Cocido" main meal chicken soup which is served on Christmas Day.   I posted about this dish way back in 2014. You can see the recipe for it here.  

 

 

 Ms Christmas Angel:

 She continues to be with us. She was sent to me by a friend in the UK about 10 years ago. You can read more about her here in this post I wrote in 2015. She does look a little worn after all this time so I have cleaned her up cut off some of the straggles and added a new sparkling halo (I cut if off an old Christmas card ages ago and kept it thinking it would come in use ...and it has!) 

 

The Christmas spirit 

 

                 Merry Christmas                

wishing you all peace,health and happiness.

 

 

and at the same time I am posting this very christmassy photograph of Minehead, my home town in England. 

Church steps up to St.Michael's Church,Minehead,Somerset,England

FABULOUS VOICES!!

 

            Amanda :-)

 

Traditions...old...old traditions!

Putting my hometown on the map!
I've heard people say Minehead in West Somerset is in the back of beyond,nothing there,rural,small and it's behind the times ect...ect...    Which I certainly disagree with but ... THEY can say what they like!!!
However there is no getting away from the fact that Minehead is beautiful!

The Gateway to Exmoor park!!

 






 




 

 I'd jump at the chance to buy a little cottage there!

Right so what has bought about these poignant thoughts of home ...there is a reason!

 I shall be giving another Public talk at the Business College at the end of this month and this time I have chosen to  focus on   "Familiarity with English Culture and Traditions is imperative in English Language Learning" as the topic of the talk and being a Somerset gal from Minehead I am going to talk about a very old May tradition which takes place in my hometown.
The Hobby Horse... or as we say in the West Country dialect "obby oss" .

 

"HAIL TO THE ANCIENT KING OF MAY"

I believe there are just two places left in the British Isles where this tradition still continues, Minehead and Padstow in Cornwall. I have been doing my homework these last few months and the deeper I delved into this tradition the more interesting I found it. 

Do you know Minehead has been welcoming the King of May (The Hobby Horse) since the 9th century! The origin of the Hobby Horse is somewhat blurry but it seems it goes back to some jolly celebrations after a victory,that of scaring away some rather nasty Vikings who had their eyes on plunder! 

There is more of course but I'll leave you this link so you can read all about it

The Hobby Horse

Amanda :-)