In Britain it’s not unusual for Christmas to start at the end of the summer holidays. I remember going into an Oxford Street store a couple of years ago, looking for any last remaining summer sale bargains and being amazed to find a Christmas Shop!

In Spain, Christmas items begin to appear in the shops towards the end of October/beginning of November, and the real countdown to Christmas doesn’t really start until the beginning of Advent, 1^st December.

Christmas decorations are put up and suddenly Nativity scenes appear everywhere, not just in households and churches but often in the town square, shop windows and even in restaurants! In many villages and small towns in Spain the Nativity will be re-enacted by the locals (often using live animals!) in the last few days before Christmas. Sometimes the local children will go carol singing and be rewarded with some money or sweets.

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