All over Spain the main feast of Christmas takes place in the evening of Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) and is such a grand affair, it often takes families until the early morning hours of Christmas Day to get through all their festive fare.
Markets
Before all that happens though, there are traditional Christmas markets to be scoured for regional specialities and unusual, hand-crafted gifts and living nativities to be visited. On the market place in front of the El Ejido Town Hall for example visitors can enjoy two different themed markets this year.
From 18th to 20th December locals and visitors can enjoy specialities and food from the mountainous region of the Alpujarra in a themed market aiming to present different regional food to a wider audience. This market will be followed by a traditional Christmas market, held from 22nd to 27th December, and showcasing in particular the skills of local artisans.
Traditional Living Nativity Scenes
Here locals get a chance to act out various biblical scenes associated with the birth of Christ. Living Nativity Scenes are a fundamental part of Christmas celebrations in Andalucía and have a very long tradition. One of the best ones can be seen in Arcos de la Frontera, in the province of Cadiz. On 19th December, from 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm, the streets of the little town are closed for vehicular traffic and covered in palm tree fronds. Many are also illuminated with burning torches instead of electrical street lighting, throwing a soft and magical glow over those gathering in the town centre to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Many of its citizens are dressed in beautifully made costumes, perfectly matched to represent the way people would have dressed 2,000 years ago. Each of the different stages of the Nativity are performed faultlessly and every last scene of the birth of Christ is enacted to educate and entertain, but also to enchant the public.
A living crib event and living nativity scene is also at the heart of Christmas celebrations in Rambla del Fontanar, a mountainside with famous caves that provide the amazing backdrop to the nativity. Representing Palestine of 2,000 years ago, Fontanar's natural setting is the ideal backdrop for the re-enactment of Christ's arrival on Earth. A huge number of actors and extras perform in front of a large audience in Jaen Province every year at this enormously popular event.
Corrales and Ubrique, Beas and Almayate are also great places in Andalucía where living nativity plays are being performed every year.
Festive Feasts in Marbella
Just like most households in Spain, traditional Marbella family dinners on Christmas Eve will feature Pavo Navideño, Christmas Turkey, which is not quite like the British or American version, as the main meal, preceded by starters like cured cheeses and prawns or Serrano ham. Drinks served will include fino sherry, cider and Spanish red and white wines, or perhaps a glass of Cava to enliven the mood a little at the start of the evening. Sweets feature largely during the festive days, in particular packaged sweets like marzipan, mantecados and polvorones (small biscuits), and turrón (nougat). Bought at pastlerias (cake shops) and specialist food shops or Christmas market stalls, these sweets are often bought in large boxes of individually wrapped sweets that taste of festive spices like cinnamon and anise. Sweet and cloying, they can feel like a meal in themselves, which is not surprising, since the mantecados and polvorones are made with lard, sugar and flour, three waistline-unfriendly ingredients that are apt to bloat stomachs.
For those spending Christmas at the Costa del Sol for the first time, perhaps in a hotel or their Marbella holiday home, eating out is also an option, although not necessarily on Christmas Eve if you are staying in a small village further inland. Here dinner often revolves around lamb or game as the main dish rather than turkey.
On the 25th December many Andalucian restaurants, cafes and bars will be closed, so you'll need to telephone quite a few places well in advance to find one where you can book ahead for the day you wish to dine. Prices tend to go up considerably for eating out over Christmas and New Year, and it is recommended to check on prices per set menu or per person before making the reservation.