Random Christmas Fact #22 - Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena or "the Good Night." It is a time for family members to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are present in nearly every home.  As the stars come out, tiny oil lamps are lit in every house, and after Midnight Mass Christmas dinner is served.


Midnight mass on Christmas Eve is called 'La Misa Del Gallo' (The Mass of the Rooster). It is called this because a rooster is supposed to have crowed the night that Jesus was born.


A traditional Christmas Dinner includes:

• Appetizer - jamón (Spanish ham), large shrimp, or a seafood soup
• Main Dishes - Roast Lamb or 'Pavo Trufado de Navidad' which is Turkey stuffed with truffles (the mushrooms not the chocolate ones!) or Lobster (have heard of very few doing the lamb or turkey, most are doing lobster)
• Dessert - Flan and the other pastries mentioned in earlier posts