Feliz "Reyes" to our Spanish friends

Today is the "Reyes" (kings) in Spain. Today is when the Spanish kids get their presents.

So I just wanted to wish any Spanish readers out there a very "Fe.liz Reyes".

We went to the see the Reyes arriving last night. Will post some pics in a bit.

Enjoy, and may you receive many presents!!

Merry Christmas everyone

The kids are mega excited today, of course. They're six years old and Santa is coming tonight!! What a wonderful age and such an exciting time for them.

I just wanted to wish eveyone a really Happy Christmas and a New Year full of joy and success.

It's going to be a tough year all round but I'm really looking forward to it myslef as we have so many cool projects to kick off.

Here's to some fab festive fun for all.

Un abrazo muy grande a todos

Christmas in Spain

In our newsletter this week we featured an article about Christmas in Spain.   This will be our fifthChristmas here and that article that Susan wrote really does sum up our experience of a Spanish Christmas.

In the article Susan mentions that Christmas is appearing earlier in the shops, like happens in the UK.  Well, today I went into Supersol and noticed that they've now brought in the "polvorones".  These are very fattening but lovely Christmas sweets.  They have a powdery feel to them and they break up really easily, and often get stuck in your throat too...but I can't resist them, and obviously neither can the Spanish.

I for one am not complaining that Christmas is coming early to Spain.  In fact, I really very much like it.

Christmas in Spain - Really?

Any expats living or hoping to be in Spain over the Christmas period will notice one major problem....it doesn't feel like Christmas at all, and it won't do until January!

Half the reason is becuase the Spanish don't celebrate the 25th of December, they actually celebrate the 6th of January, which is the coming of the Three Kings.

So for them it's still too early to get all festive. Most Spanish children won't get any presents on the 25th, although some may get a small gift as Santa Claus pushes his way into Spanish culture, although he still needs to a bit more pushy!

Today the sun is shining, there's little evidence of Christmas in the shops.....it just doesn't feel like christmas is riht round the corner. If you don't like all the commercialism of Christmas then this is a great place to be. But not us, we love all the commercialism which is why we're off to London soon for a few days to get our Christmas fix and go to Hamleys, Harrods, etc.

It's all for the kids, of course.....

Christmas in Malaga

It seems I haven't posted anything for a while! The real reason for this is that I just had to stay away from the computer over Christmas or else I would have got carried away and would have missed the whole festive season.

But I'm (sort of) back now.

We'll we had a really nice Christmas here. It was very relaxing, got the presents that I more or less wanted and the sun was shining (that bit's not so Christmassy). The kids had a great time too, and now they're looking forward to the Three Kings.

If you don't know, the Spanish don't really celebrate Christmas much. Their real "Christmas" is the Epiphany, the Three Kings on the 6th of January. As our kids are in Spanish school we have to celebrate "los reyes" too so our Christmas is far from over yet!

In fact, it's only just starting to feel like Christmas here as we approach the 6th of January.

We went to Malaga with some friends yesterday to check out the lights there. What an atmosphere. I never really hear many people talking about Malaga but it's a great city. They have some stunning lights all over the centre and there's a real buzz around the place. There was a band playing in the main square, ice skating, and lots of other activities.

If you're in the area then I suggest you spend a day in Malaga. It's a really happening place at the moment in the build up to "los reyes". Highly recommend you check it out.

Anyway, best get back to "chilling" a bit more....