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Christmas has well and truly begun here in Javea with Christmas displays, light and trees twinkling in every corner of the town. Temperatures are still warm, a balmy 20 degrees and there's loads to see and do over the coming month to get us in the mood. Have you seen the lovely Christmas tree on the Arenal close to the VillaMia office?
Most people in Spain go to Midnight Mass or 'La Misa Del Gallo' (The Mass of the Rooster). It is called this because a rooster is supposed to have crowed the night that Jesus was born. Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena. In the days before Nochebuena, children might take part in 'piden el aguinaldo' where they go and sing carols around their neighbours hoping to get some money!
Most families eat their main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve before the service. The traditional Spanish Christmas dinner was 'Pavo Trufado de Navidad' which is Turkey stuffed with truffles (the mushrooms, not the chocolate ones!) or 'Pularda asada' (a roasted young hen), although they are not commonly eaten now. In Galicia (a region in north-west Spain, surrounded by water) the most popular meal for Christmas Eve and for Christmas Day is seafood. This can be all kinds of different seafood, from shellfish and mollusks, to lobster and small edible crabs.
After the midnight service, one old tradition was for people to walk through the streets carrying torches, playing guitars and beating on tambourines and drums. One Spanish saying is 'Esta noche es Noche-Buena, Y no Es noche de dormir' which means 'Tonight is the good night and it is not meant for sleeping!'
A few different languages are spoken in different regions in Spain. In Spanish (also sometimes called Castilian) Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Feliz Navidad'; in Catalan, Asturian and Occitan it's 'Bon Nadal'; in Galician 'Bo Nadal'; in Aragonese it's 'Feliz Nadal' and in Basque (or Euskara in basque) 'Eguberri on'.
As many of us begin gathering gifts, decorating trees and travelling to see loved ones, our homes can become easy targets for observant criminals - but what can you do to keep your home safe this season?
If you’re leaving home for winter or have a particularly busy schedule in the run-up to Christmas, always make sure your home looks lively even if you’re elsewhere.
VillaMia´s Property management service can ensure your home is safe and secure if you intend to be away for an extended period of time. You do not need to rent via the company to use the property management service and for more details contact Callam on lettings@villamia.net
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