The Spanish don't have their big meal on Christmas Day. Instead, Christmas Eve is the big deal.

But
there is more to eating at Christmas than the big festive meal. Sweets are the most iconic part of
Spanish Christmas food.

Food on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is the most important part of Christmas in Spain and dinner that day is the biggest
meal of the year, but there is nothing as ubiquitous as turkey. In the past 'pavo trufado' (turkey
stuffed with truffles) was a popular dish with the country's elite, but now this is not as common as it
used to be.

The only rule today is that people eat 'well' (and probably expensively). Lobster is very common, and
a roast of some sort is essential (usually lamb or suckling pig). In addition to all this, most families will
also have soup (usually fish), and many different kinds of seafood, cheese, ham and pate. Dinner
starts late, at about 10pm and takes a couple of hours.

Christmas Sweets

Where Spanish food at Christmas really comes into its own is with its sweets, including a variety of
nougats, marzipans and crumbly, indescribable things.

• Turron - Nougat, the essential Christmas sweet in Spain. There are many varieties

• Mazapan - Marzipan, pure and simple.

• Polvorones - crumbly cakes.

• Mantecados - another crumbly type of cake

• Yema - a type of marzipan, made with egg.

• Rosquillos de Vino - Cookies flavored with anise and wine

In addition to these, no Spanish Christmas dinner is complete without some , walnuts & dates.

Eating at a Restaurant in Spain at Christmas

Note that it is almost impossible to get a meal in a restaurant on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is
easier, but you have to book in advance.

ubiquitous-wszechobecny, roast-pieczyste, pate-pasztety, dates-daktyle