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Christmas in Spain
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By h.b. - Dec 20, 2006 - 7:57 AM
The invasion of Christmas Trees and Father Christmas
Twenty five years ago in Spain you didn’t see a Christmas tree, and nobody knew very much about Papa Noel. Somehow there has been an invasion, and I think that maybe El Corte Inglés has something to do with it.
Thankfully, in most areas of the country, the traditional Spanish Christmas has remained, it’s just that the Anglo Saxon celebration has been laid over the top.
The poor parents now need to find presents for Christmas both from Papa Noel and from the Three Kings. At least many have the traditional extra monthly wage payment to help out, but even so the ‘cuesta de enero’ – steep climb of January means belt tightening is on the way in the New Year.
Would it be rude to consider Spanish children to be spoilt? Maybe, and who can blame the youngsters who are bombarded with advertising about the toy of video game to buy. 300 € for a video consol is a ball park figure. Youngsters generally want something they have seen on TV, say the experts.
Multinational toy companies such as ‘Toys r Us’ have moved into Spain to benefit from this double Christmas whammy.
This year we are told that the 81 most popular games have already completely sold out. Spot the desperate father sent out on Christmas Eve to find the required item. Tears at bedtime.
In all this consumer fever there are one or two bright spots this year. Educational games are, it seems, in fashion, be they a bilingual tambourine for babies or more advanced bilingual games for youngsters.
But many will simply resort to the games consul with El Corte Inglés selling plenty of X Boxes and Play Station Portables this holiday season. As fore the new Wii consul, that sold out in Spain in 48 hours from launch. You can check out the best selling items on the El Corte Inglés webpage.
And if you have been a bad boy or girl this Christmas, don’t worry too much. The traditional lump of coal for the badly behaved is nowhere to be found.
And finally, we hear this year that the Spanish Royal Family have sent out Christmas cards of a winter view of the Zarzuela Palace. It follows the outcry last year when a photo montage brought all the members of the Royal Family together. This year not one is to be seen.
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Christmas in Spain
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By h.b. - Dec 20, 2006 - 7:57 AM
This year's Royal Christmas Card, is a winter view of the Zarzuela Palace - EFE
Twenty five years ago in Spain you didn’t see a Christmas tree, and nobody knew very much about Papa Noel. Somehow there has been an invasion, and I think that maybe El Corte Inglés has something to do with it.
Thankfully, in most areas of the country, the traditional Spanish Christmas has remained, it’s just that the Anglo Saxon celebration has been laid over the top.
The poor parents now need to find presents for Christmas both from Papa Noel and from the Three Kings. At least many have the traditional extra monthly wage payment to help out, but even so the ‘cuesta de enero’ – steep climb of January means belt tightening is on the way in the New Year.
Would it be rude to consider Spanish children to be spoilt? Maybe, and who can blame the youngsters who are bombarded with advertising about the toy of video game to buy. 300 € for a video consol is a ball park figure. Youngsters generally want something they have seen on TV, say the experts.
Multinational toy companies such as ‘Toys r Us’ have moved into Spain to benefit from this double Christmas whammy.
This year we are told that the 81 most popular games have already completely sold out. Spot the desperate father sent out on Christmas Eve to find the required item. Tears at bedtime.
In all this consumer fever there are one or two bright spots this year. Educational games are, it seems, in fashion, be they a bilingual tambourine for babies or more advanced bilingual games for youngsters.
But many will simply resort to the games consul with El Corte Inglés selling plenty of X Boxes and Play Station Portables this holiday season. As fore the new Wii consul, that sold out in Spain in 48 hours from launch. You can check out the best selling items on the El Corte Inglés webpage.
And if you have been a bad boy or girl this Christmas, don’t worry too much. The traditional lump of coal for the badly behaved is nowhere to be found.
And finally, we hear this year that the Spanish Royal Family have sent out Christmas cards of a winter view of the Zarzuela Palace. It follows the outcry last year when a photo montage brought all the members of the Royal Family together. This year not one is to be seen.
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Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish.
Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema.
Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema.
