CHRISTMAS CARDS CONTEST

By María Centella (3ºA).
Reviewed by Sara Cledera

In our school, we held a Christmas Card Contest in foreign language in English. The contest was to draw a Christmas card congratulating a friend and wish him or her Merry Christmas. Also in the Christmas card   we had to explain how Christmas are celebrated in Spain. All cards of all participants were exposed in the hall of   the school entitled it to adorn. In other part of the hall the four winning Christmas cards were presented. English department chose two winners of the first cycle (1^st  and 2^nd  of the ESO) and two winners of the second cycle (3^rd and 4^th ESO)

These are the names of the winners of this year's Christmas card contest:

1º Cycle:  Estrella Salguero (1º A),  Antonio Velasco (2º B) y Rafa García (2ºB)

2º Cycle: María Centella (3ºA),  Antonio Jesús Cochinero (3ºB)

English teachers of the department congratulated the winners in each of their classrooms by giving awards and co-winners recognized their work with applause.

Photo   of the Church of Villa del Rio at Christmas 2011

 Here's concluding this article I will briefly explain some of the customs that are celebrated at Christmas so you can better understand our holiday tradition. : Actually, Christmas in Villa del Rio differ little from the rest of the other Spanish cities.

People illuminate the main streets and the most important places in the centre of the town; in most homes and the town hall square we place a Nativity and Christmas tree.

These are the most important dates in the Spanish Christmas: 

• On 24 December, is usually made dinner with family at home. It's Christmas Eve and families we met and ate plenty of appetizers, soups, roasts, pies, ice cream and shortbread called “Mantecados”

  

• On 25 December, after a big meal, members of our family such as parents, grandparents are given to smaller "the aguilando" ", at least in most of the families is usually in the form of money.

  

• On 31 December, the party begins in a familiar way, when it reaches nearly 12.00 o’clock; the Spanish people eat twelve grapes of luck on behalf of each of the months of the year.

• On the night of January 5th day come the Three Wise Men, children tend to leave water in the balconies to give drink to the camels and go to bed early and sometimes, parents dress up at dawn to Kings surprise the children.

The next morning gifts (toys) are in the dining room. Home of the uncle and grandparents often leave gifts for children.

• The day on January 6 usually buy a "Roscón of Kings", a cake with a gift inside, part in portions, and whom he touched, he will  have a happy new year but  who would touch a bean he will have to pay the roscón.