Christmas in Spain

Rather refreshingly, Spain doesn't seem to start gearing up for Christmas until they get into the month of December. It's not the huge commercial circus that it is in the US and the UK; the lights and decorations won't be seen until the start of December and gradually Christmas markets start to appear and trees can be bought in the streets. It's also worth noting that Spain is largely a Roman catholic nation so the festivities still hold important religious connotations, the first date of note is December 8th, Immaculada (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception), this really kicks of the start of the religious celebrations. The holiday period really begins on December 22nd when all of Spain tunes into the television or radio to hear the results of "El Gordo", a huge lottery draw that will see thousands of prizes dished out to winners from across the country. Christmas Eve is a huge family day in Spain and is known as "Nochebuena". A massive meal will be prepared for what is the biggest feast of the year and the most important family gathering. Fish and shellfish are usually consumed to start with, followed by a roast such as lamb or a suckling pig and desert is the traditional marzipan or Turr