Christmas traditions in Barcelona

Barcelona shows a special face at Christmas: streets decorated with garlands of lights, traditional markets, and unique Catalan traditions await those who visit in December. The Catalans celebrate in a very family-oriented way, but at the same time they have preserved their own, local traditions that differ from the “classic” Spanish Christmas.

One of the unique traditions is related to the Caga Tio, a tree trunk with a smiling face. The piece of wood is brought in the house at the beginning of December, and the children feed it during the Advent season and cover it with a large blanket. On Christmas Eve morning, the children start hitting the poor Caga Tio with sticks and singing, which translates to something like: “poop, tree trunk, or I’ll beat you.” The blanket is then lifted, and underneath are the presents that the tree trunk “pooped.” The piece of wood is then returned to the forest: it is taken out of the house and put away by the parents until it is time to bring it back again next December.

The Caganer tradition is somewhat similar. The Catalans place a strange figure in the nativity scene, standing with their pants down, as if relieving themselves. This poopy figure symbolizes fertility, brings good luck, and now an entire industry has been built around it. You can get all kinds of Caganers, the classic one dressed in traditional Catalan costume, of course, but there are also figures depicting Trump or even Peppa Pig - there really are all kinds. It is important to emphasize that the Catalans are deeply religious and do not consider the poopy figure in the nativity scene to be sacrilegious. It is a tradition that they adhere to.

Setting up a nativity scene at home is a common custom, but not all families decorate a Christmas tree. This is probably due to the fact that pine trees are very expensive and less available here. My first Christmas in Barcelona was a surprising and wonderful experience, when I realized that the palm trees on the streets were often decorated with garlands of lights - it seemed completely surreal to me as a Hungarian.

Barcelona also has some lovely Christmas markets where you can buy handicrafts, Christmas tree decorations, sweets and of course Caganer and Caga Tio. The most famous is the Fira de Sánta Llucia by the cathedral, but you can also find a little market in front of the Sagrada Família. If you want to get into the festive spirit, you can also visit the market at Port Vell.

Barcelona is full with Christmas lights in December, with the Passeig de Gracia being the most beautiful. Notable buildings are also decorated, there is a light show on Casa Batllo, which worth the visit. It is a festive moment when the lights are switched on for the first time in the year, with huge crowds flocking to Passeig de Gracia, and after the countdown, they burst into applause and cheers when the lights are turned on.

Every year, the Sant Pau Recinte Modernista garden is decorated with a wonderful Christmas-themed park, and the facade of the main building has a beautiful light show. This evening program is a must visit during this season.

The highlight of the Christmas season in Spain is not Christmas Eve, but Three Kings Day, January 6th. On January 5th, there is a parade in Barcelona, the Three Kings arrive in the form of giant puppets and scatter candy among the children. This is also when the big gift-giving in the family takes place.

There are also typical Christmas sweets here: on Epiphany, it is customary to eat a sweet similar to yeast dough called Roscón de Reyes. The typically wreath-shaped cake is decorated with all kinds of dried fruits.

Turrón is also a festive delicacy: it is a nougat, originally flavored with almonds, honey, or chocolate. Today, it is available in a variety of flavors.

So Barcelona is special at Christmas, and it's definitely worth visiting at this time of year.

Christmas traditions in Barcelona are very interesting, so I recommend that you visit here sometime during this period.