Society
christmas
Life & Style
Who delivers Catalan kids their Christmas’ presents?
Business
Fish and seafood wholesalers expect 2% increase in Christmas sales
Business
Gift basket firm begins Christmas season with 12% rise in sales
Llobet Regals company hopes for bumper year as individuals join employers in opting for traditional food packages
Society
Massive ‘Gran Recapte’ food drive kicks off with record volunteer participation
In Girona, a Red Cross psychiatric aid program for the homeless is implemented in time for the cold snap
Culture
Puigdemont, the most sold ‘caganer’ figurine this year
Society
Barcelona fountains to light up in yellow in solidarity with imprisoned Catalan leaders
Christmas lights were also inaugurated with doves and hearts in honor of terror attack victims
Culture
Christmas ‘caganer’ figurines depict independence process
Along with public figures, the 46 new statuettes for 2017 also include female versions for every profession
Life & Style
Catalan Christmas: Cava and Kings, where children get to beat a log until it poos out their presents!
Life & Style
The most magical night for children in Catalonia
All towns in Catalonia welcome the arrival of the Three Wise Men on the 5th of January. Children and parents gather on the streets throughout the country to greet the Kings from the East in an enormous display of colour, sweets and presents that cannot fail to delight everyone. The Three Wise Men often travel by camel, but they have also been known to visit some towns using floats, classic cars, boats or even helicopters! Catalan children are very excited that night, because this is the “magical night” on which they traditionally receive their big Christmas presents – although some also get presents from other magic figures such as Santa or the very Catalan tradition of the ‘caga tió’ on the 24th of December.
Business
Ski resorts and holiday cottages in Catalonia experience a quiet Christmas season
Hoteliers around Catalonia faced a difficult Christmas tourist season with occupancy rates that were below 50% in some areas. The only exceptions could be found in areas where snow attracted skiers, such as Val d’Aran and adjacent counties. In those areas there was an occupancy rate of between 70% and 85%. Rural tourism suffered its poorest results and does not forecast a recovery for 2012.
Life & Style
The Three Wise Men arrive in Catalonia carrying presents and causing excitement
The night of January 5th is the most important and magical nights of the year for thousands of children in Catalonia. It is when the Three Wise Men –or the Three Kings in Catalan– bring presents. Traditionally in Catalonia, presents are not delivered by Santa Claus on the evening of December 24th, but instead on the evening of January 5th by the Three Kings who arrive in all Catalan towns. Parades are organised to welcome them. Afterwards, when the children are sleeping, they enter through the window or balcony and leave presents for every family member.
Life & Style
Thanks to volunteers Living Nativity Scenes brighten up Catalan towns
Just like every Christmas, traditional Living Nativity Scenes around Catalonia are on show, this year with an expected increase of attendance despite cuts in public subsidies. Towns are unwilling to let budget cuts affect them and they have combined imagination, volunteer work and citizen involvement to maintain the tradition.
Business
37 million Cava bottles to sparkle this Christmas
The wine sector foresees an increase of cava and wine consumption in Spain and Catalonia, as well as in the foreign market, during the upcoming Christmas holidays. The price adjustment, one of the measures used to fight the financial crisis, will help to sell one million more bottles compared to the same period last year, however producers predict purchases to be last minute.
Life & Style
The largest ice-skating rink in Europe opens in downtown Barcelona to attract shoppers
The ice rink has been fully funded by the private retail sector. It aims to attract locals and visitors to Barcelona city centre in the hope that consumers will spend more in the Christmas period. Catalunya Square is the location for the largest ice-skating rink of its kind in Europe. The attraction has caused controversy because it occupies public space for a private activity in a time of serious economic difficulties.