Barcelona's Special Christmas Decorations

Every year after Halloween, shops remove the orange pumpkin decorations and start preparing Christmas items, while the streets are adorned with Christmas lights. Although there are no holidays in November, the whole month is spent in anticipation of Christmas. Teachers also leave December free, scheduling all exams in November, so December is left for various celebrations.

In addition to the typical Christmas tree, candles, and ornaments, there are two special Christmas decorations unique to Barcelona: the Caganer and the nativity scene. The Caganer is a log with a face drawn on the cross-section, wearing a red woolen hat, placed under the Christmas tree and covered with a blanket. Children hit the wood, and gifts appear under the blanket. Initially, farmers in the countryside placed logs outside their homes, symbolizing the warmth and light brought by the wood. Gradually, people started placing small gifts under the logs, eventually evolving into every family placing a log under the Christmas tree.

The nativity scene is a set of model decorations that can include the newborn Jesus, Jesus' parents, the Three Kings, villagers, stable animals, and farm decorations. Typically, at Christmas markets, there are stalls selling nativity scene figurines, which can be elaborate or simple, depicting the joyful and peaceful scene of Jesus' birth. Many families set up this model in their foyer during the month of December. Some families add a new figurine to their nativity scene each year.