Christmas in Valencia

Christmas in Valencia – Impressions on December 5 and 15

(Note..guest post from Beth with pictures thanks to Howard - my voice is different from Howard's so didn't want to confuse you all).

It’s December 5 and the Christmas bustle is palpable here in Valencia. It’s not as frenzied as in the US but the pace on the streets has quickened.   Howard and I live at the hub of the downtown commercial center with shops radiating on pedestrian streets out from the hub, El Corte Inglés, the primary Spanish Department Store.

Christmas here seems to be more about family and food than gifts.  We’ll see as we get closer to Three Kings Day.  In Spain, they celebrate Christmas Day without many gifts – saving that ritual for January 6 – celebrating the 3 Kings offering gifts for the birth of Jesus.

Nativity scenes or Belén adorn every civic center, mall, shop and restaurant.  Last week, in Sevilla, we saw scores of nativity scene vendors surrounding the Cathedral selling a full range of nativity scene stuff ranging from basic plastic sets of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to everything needed to create a mechanized desert landscapes depicting village life: Baby Jesus reaching up from his crib to be held, Kings offering gifts, fishermen casting lines in the river, women spinning wool and so on.  They are incredible.  The Belén in the Central Market is about 10 feet in diameter filled with 6 inch figures.  It’s an entire village complete with a market day, village streets winding through the mountain landscape.  In one corner is baby Jesus in a cave.  This shows that life goes on even in the presence of a miracle.  It seems that creative efforts find outlet in building Nativity Scenes over other types of decorations.  Building spectacular nativity scenes appears to be a competitive sport here in Spain.

The Three Kings 

Everyday activities in the market

Baby Jesús

I’ve found the Christmas Trees and City Scape decorations thus far to be underwhelming -  In fact, in one of the main Plazas, a tree is highlighted with a corporate logo – so much for less commercialization.   

Near as we can figure, the City doesn’t sponsor Christmas lights.  They are few and far between and only on major shopping streets. That said, we are going to do a night time stroll to see them all once the rain stops.

The food – Grocery Stores rearrange their space to feature Turrón (nougat candy) and chocolate. Aisles and aisles of confection.  We’ve stayed away so far but we’re not so sure how much resistance we can muster.  

Crab and other crustaceans have replaced ice cream and pizzas in the frozen section.   

And, as you would expect, the omnipresent jamon has not been forgotten in this feeding frenzy.  Legs and legs of porcine splendor are colorfully wrapped to tempt all who gaze upon them.  

Look at the price on this one 539 euros, of course you get a free Henkels knife!

We’ve been to one Cava celebration in our nearby MercatColon.  Our friend – the bon vivant (a term where only French will do) gathered a group to toast the Christmas season with the favored drink, Cava – the Spanish version of Champagne – and tapas.  The Mercat Colon is a special place. It’s a refurbished turn of the 20^th century food market in the fancy part of town.  It’s been transformed into an open air gallery of cafes and restaurants and is celebrating it’s 100^th anniversary.  They have the biggest Green Christmas Tree we’ve seen in Valencia.

Thanks to our friends Roz and Steven, we were also fortunate to see a simulcast production of Peter Wrights’s Nutcracker  (Cascanueces in Spanish) live from the Royal Opera House in London.  It was a much different production from the many I’ve seen over the years in the States.  We wondered what was up when we saw an adult Clara onstage.  The nutcracker definitely signals that the Christmas season is in full swing. 

December 15 update.

Perhaps I was hasty in my Christmas opinions of Valencia.    As December has progressed, we’ve seen more lights and Christmas trees. Most are pretty simple but nice. One of our latest favorites is a Christmas tree made from empty craft beer bottles.   

Belen or nativity scenes still reign supreme as seasonal décor.   We miss the smell of Christmas fir so prevalent in the US.  Virtually all trees are artificial and it’s hard to find greens.  Singing “Oh Christmas Tree” to yards and yards of plastic doesn’t have the same appeal to me.   We’ve managed to find a small wreath that we hope will fill our apartment with the smell that I associate with Christmas.

Last Saturday night, we were out for a stroll checking out the Christmas lights. 

Plaza Ayuntamiento or, City Hall Plaza hosts a skating rink, merry-go-round and Christmas lights each year.  It’s fun to see watch family outings with kids and adults alike enjoying the skating rink. 

The main street from Plaza Ayuntamiento toward the Cathedral is festooned with sparkling Christmas lights.  

As we were walking,  Howard suggested that we go into one of the major churches that we hadn’t been into yet (it would be hard to go into all of them!). To our delight, they were holding a Christmas choral concert with original version songs from several countries.    There are a few other Christmas concerts around town culminating in the Christmas Eve service at the Cathedral. 

I’m stunned by the concentration of shopping bags from El Corte Inglés, the main department store.  Purchases are wrapped and bagged in easily recognized print - red with greed and white Christmas Trees - so that even a casual observation of purchase distribution yields a fairly strong conclusion.   They have taken over the plaza that is above the Colon Metro Station and a side street with a huge tent and several kiosks selling Christmas decorations and, of course, turrón.   I saw one man with 4 shopping bags brimming with boxes of chocolates.  I suspect that these are business Christmas gifts.  So much space is dedicated to selling candy that it’s hard to get to the metro station!  Howard did find perhaps the only nod to Hannukah – Euro Gelt - in a candy kiosk. 

Last night we participated in Navidad Shopping Night – another Valenciana excuse for a party.  Several downtown streets were closed to traffic, bands played on many corners, stores offered complementary tapas, cava or another cocktail – gin and tonics a welcome favorite, cotton candy stands, and hefty DISCOUNTS.   There were photo opportunities with red carpet like backdrops showcasing logos of the evening’s sponsors scattered throughout the district.   We participated in dancing, drinking and shopping!  I wonder if this has pulled any business away from El Corte Ingles.   Regardless, it was another great night in Valencia.   The only thing missing were the seemingly omnipresent fireworks.

 

Of course – (por supuesto), Christmas is a time for friends and families.  Restaurants and bars are full of large groups enjoying a celebration.   I’m wistful for our own friends and family.  No matter how well decorated our apartment, it won’t sparkle with the personalities of those we miss.  

Feliz Navidad

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