How do locals celebrate Christmas in Alcudia?
This week Club MAC Alcudia reveals how locals celebrate the best time of the year, Christmas, if you’re planning on flying out to Alcudia this December.
Balearic island culture
Lying off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands have been Spanish territories for centuries. This long history of ties with the Spanish has influenced every aspect of Balearic Island life, meaning that the people of Majorca are mostly Roman Catholic.
Villages, towns and cities throughout Majorca, including Alcudia where Club MAC Alcudia is based, go all out to celebrate Roman Catholic holidays. They put on colourful parades, fantastic concerts, grand religious services and a range of fabulous festivities to ring in the holiest days of the year.
Alcudia Christmas
No holiday is more anticipated in Majorca than Christmas, and the people of Alcudia push the boat out to celebrate this special time of the year. The town hosts a series of concerts, Christmas carol sing-a-longs and nativity scene contests in the run up to Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day is the time for family in Alcudia, and people in the town celebrate by coming together to enjoy a high lunch. The next day is a public holiday, but whilst we call it ‘Boxing Bay’ they call it ‘Segona festa de Nadal,’ or ‘Second Christmas Day.’ This is the day that also marks the anniversary of an iconic event in the town’s history, when the people of Alcudia defeated the agermanats in battle five centuries ago.
They step up their game when it comes time to welcome the New Year; an occasion that never fails to impress when you celebrate it in Alcudia. The day commemorates the anniversary of the conquest of Majorca by famous monarch Jaume I. They honour the occasion with a live concert, traditional activities and plenty of Cava!
Christmas 2015
The Alcudians are planning to celebrate the Christmas season in style this year. If you’re in the town on Christmas Eve, you might want to take part in the chanting of the “Sibil-la” (Song of Sybil). This is a traditional liturgical drama and Gregorian chant that will be performed in various Churches across Alcudia.
If you’re still around at New Year, you can always get into the spirit of the festival and join the town’s people on the Run Curse San Silvestre; a fun run that’s held in Alcudia every year. After you’ve worked up a sweat you can join the townsfolk as they complete the Alcudian tradition of eating twelve grapes in front of the Town Hall before the clock strikes midnight!
Categories: Alcudia, Holiday tips, Travel
