Christmas in Spain is a vibrant, weeks-long celebration that begins in mid-December and stretches well into January. The holiday season officially kicks off on December 22nd with the El Gordo Lottery Draw, the world’s largest lottery. The entire nation tunes in all morning to watch children from the San Ildefonso school sing out the winning numbers, and locals flock to historic booths like Doña Manolita in Madrid to buy their shared tickets. As the city streets light up, town halls and churches across the country display Belenes, which are highly detailed, miniature nativity scenes. If you find yourself admiring these displays in Catalonia, look closely to find the Caganer, a traditional, hidden figure of a defecating peasant meant to bring good luck and fertility to the soil.
