Christmas+in+Spain+P.10

C h r i s t m a s I n  S p a i n Unlike other European countries, people in Spain do not put their Christmas lights up until December. Every town and city will decorate the streets and Christmas markets start to appear. Christmas trees are for sale everywhere and gypsies try to make a profit by selling trees on the streets. The first big sign of Christmas is the state-run lottery, which is drawn every December 22nd. The "El Gordo", which translates into "the fat one", is one of the largest lotteries in the world and thousands of people win each year. Basically, Christmas in Spain is based on a more religious theme than that of many other places. Churches in Spain are packed to capacity, day and night. For most Spaniards, there are three main stages for Christmas. It starts with Christmas Eve, or in Spanish, Nochebuena. Nochebuena is very much a family affair. The evening may start at home, but often ends up with a party in a hotel, club, or disco with friends and family. It is likely that all generations of the family are present. The party will go on all night.