Christmas in Spain {and Polvorones Recipe}

Christmas time in the US is a well known holiday everywhere as the traditions are often shown in movies and TV shows. That's why we wanted to tell you how the holidays are celebrated in Spain.

Christmas in Spain is heavily influenced by catholicism. Even if you are not a religious person, as in my case, most of the Spanish traditions and decorations have their roots in Jesus' birth. And even though many Spaniards define themselves as non-practicing or agnostic, we still follow these traditions just because it takes us back to our childhood, to our abuela's kitchen and sleepovers with our cousins.     

The Monkeys on Spanish TV

As we announced a few weeks ago, we hosted a TV show from Madrid, Spain. 'Madrileños por el Mundo' is a really fun travel program that visits a different place every week to show how people from Madrid live abroad. 

Even though we don't like showing our faces on the blog, especially the little Monkeys', we are making an exception because it is a stellar show and we truly like how it turned out. Also, we love Oregon and we wanted to share it with all of you.

The overall experience was new and alot of fun. However, it was a little stressing, even more so with two little kids. To the point that we forgot to mention the blog when we were asked about what we do. Yeah! I know!!! You will understand why when you see the video. 

Halloween and Día de Todos los Santos

We love Halloween! It's a very fun celebration, don't you think? Even if you aren't the biggest fan of horror (Mama Monkey, isn't!), you can always go for the spooky cute theme, at least while you have toddlers and babies, I guess... Also, considering our toddler's love for pumpkins, every day has been a party over at the Monkeys' lately. After two visits to the pumpkin patch and several to the supermarket we've gathered up 16 pumpkins! If you want proof of his pumpkin-obsession check out the video below.

As we announced on some social media accounts, 'Madrileños por el Mundo', a travel TV show from Madrid came to Portland a few weeks ago and our family was one of the hosts. This is only a sneak peek they have posted on Facebook, and yes, it is our toddler and one of his many, many pumpkins! 

Welcome Otoño!

Our second Fall in the US is starting, and it is awesome! Mama Monkey has always loved it, although she didn't know how much until we moved to Oregon. The reason? You might ask. Madrid does not have a real Otoño. Yes, leaves change their color and eventually they fall, and it is beautiful. But, for some reason, it feels way shorter than here. That being said, Madrileños love fall and like going for walks in 'El Retiro' or one of the other nice parks during this time of year. Weather wise, the most common thing is to go from the mid 90s to the mid 50s in one week. Abuelita likes saying: "We go from wearing a bikini to wearing a coat" and locals say -we write it in Spanish, so you note the rhythm-: "En Madrid hay nueve meses de invierno y tres de infierno" (in Madrid there are nine months of winter and three of hell).

Here in Oregon, fall is an actual season. Leaves start turning yellow, orange and even bright, bright red around mid September and it goes on until way passed Thanksgiving. The temperatures slowly cool down. And it rains. Oh boy, does it rain! This is the not-so-awesome part of this season. But when you are a Portlander you -kind of have to- love and embrace the rain. Mama Monkey is still working on that...

Spanglish torrijas

As you sure know, Easter is celebrated differently in the States as opposed to Spain. There is something in common though, the high caloric content of the traditional holiday foods! Here in the US, kids get lots and lots of candy from egg hunts. Cholocate eggs and bunnies, peeps... You have to make a choice: you eat some, so the kiddos don't eat so much candy, or you let them eat it all and have kids on a sugar high for several hours or even days. Either way you lose! Crazy kids all strung out on sugar, or added calories....

    

In Spain, you find delicious (empty) chocolate eggs in the bakeries wrapped with beautiful, colurful, shinny papers and also something call 'monas', which basically is a cake with a boiled egg on it. However, in Catalonia, monas are huge chocolate figures given to kids by their godparents.