Learn Spanish, Avoid Festive Songs and Enjoy Christmas (part II)

The Food

I have mentioned before that when you learn Spanish one of the most exciting things it opens up for you is a new world of food. Here at Christmas there is no Christmas pud, no cranberry sauce, no turkey and very little of the mountains of chocolate we used to eat in the UK every year. I actually learned the Spanish words for turkey, cranberry and Christmas mince pies before my first festive season here. I felt weird asking for them under a blazing sun and I didn’t find any of these things of course. When I asked for “empanadas de carne molida de Navidad” in particular I got some very strange looks. Still, it was work checking all the same.

The Experience

I have to confess that I often found a hectic UK Christmas overwhelming and a tad unsatisfying and I don’t think that is just with the benefit of hindsight. Here in South America I am starting to enjoy the more laid back and stripped down version of the festive season. Don’t get me wrong, I would still prefer turkey over chicken and if you offer me a box of Cadbury’s Roses I will bite off your hand along with the Country Fudge. Some snow wouldn’t go amiss either. There is definitely something good to be said about the experiences both here and there. Why not try it for yourself sometime and pass the 25th of December in a foreign country with a different culture. Just be sure to pack your Branston Pickle before you head off.