Tenerife information for tourists and resident expatriates

Christmas Season in Tenerife

Writing this is mid October, I have already noticed Christmas ads creeping into the commercial breaks between the kids programmes. Thankfully no sound of Silent Night in the shops as yet, but I know it won't be long.

Though the run up to Christmas seems to get longer every year, there are a few stable traditions that can be relied upon to fall on the same day. El Gordo, the biggest lottery of the year and reputed to be the biggest lottery worldwide is drawn on December 22nd. As you go about your last minute Christmas shopping on that day, you will hear the sound of the winning numbers being sung through radio and tv broadcasts, piped into the street.

In 2006, €2,142,000,000 was distributed to the lucky holders of 180 winning number combinations. Of these almost 20,300 won €3,000,000 each.

Towns and villages have their own annual festivities which may take the form of a street party or barbeque. In Las Galletas in the south, the local butcher has for many years now been the main host by preparing a heaving table of barbequed meats and handing out paper cups of plonk. The roasted chestnut seller may have set up his stall a few days earlier but will now be accompanied by a baked potato stall.

Around this time, the children at the local school will be led through the town to post their letters of Christmas wishes to the Three Kings. Surprise, surprise, this event is usually another excuse for groaning tables of goodies though this time only the kids get to enjoy the feast. The Three Kings themselves are in attendance in all their colourful splendour and as proud parents squeeze into the thronging kids trying to get photographs of their beloved off-spring, fire-dancers, acrobats, clowns or Disney characters add to the happy confusion.

It is only in recent years that some kids in Spain might look forward to opening presents on Christmas Day. Traditionally this would not happen until Tres Reyes on 6th January. For many expats kids (my own included) the season seems to be a never ending stream of presents and parties as skint parents try to pay respect to both cultural traditions.

On Christmas Day itself many local and expat residents might make the trip up to Teide for a romp in the snow. Traditionally this day is not such a big celebration with rabbit being a more usual dish than turkey though expat residents may enjoy both a chmpagen breakfast at one of the local bars followed by a family dinner or a meal out with friends. For tourists the hotels have always laid on huge Christmas buffets and banquets with special entertainment.

El Dia de Los Santos Inocentes, the Day of the Innocent Saints, follows next in the Christmas line-up. Spain's answer to April Fool's Day, you can expect pranks and jokes to be played on the unsuspecting. The origins of this day are actually bloodier than you might imagine given it's playful nature. It is a commemoration of the children murdered by King Herod.

On New Year's Eve the only place to be is in front of the local church in whatever resort or village you are staying in. Across Tenerife, locals, expat residents and tourists alike will participate Los Doce Uvas de La Suerte (The Twelve Grapes of Luck) the Spanish custom of stuffing one grape into their mouths for every toll of the churchbell. It is much harder to do that it sounds but worth the attempt for if you succeed the saying goes that you will have 12 months of prosperity. Fireworks, champagne and parties into the wee hours are to be expected here as anywhere on this magical night of the year.

Lastly and before you breathe a sigh of relief at the end of the silly season and box up the Christmas tinsel and fake snow, the 5th and 6th of January are the days to celebrate the Tres Reyes Magos. These are the three wise kings who took three gifts to the newborn Jesus and having received letters from kids all over Spain, arrive on the 5th of January and leave presents for the kids to open on the 6th. It used to be that only coal was left to those who were not well behaved for the previous twelve months but today's children are obviously exemplary as this tradition is no longer observed.

So if you were not one of the lucky winners of El Gordo you can still look forward to spending a wonderful Christmas in Tenerife and in fact it has to be said that there will be few places in the world where you can enjoy real snow on Christmas Day followed by basking on the beach an hour later.

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Christmas Season in Tenerife