Christmas in Mallorca – Yacht charter with Santa Claus
Yacht charter in Mallorca with Santa Claus
If you spend the Christmas holidays in Mallorca, you will be surprised by an island that shows a completely different face than in the summer high season. Also in Mallorca, the Christmas season is one of the most important of the year, even if the Christmas customs and traditions look a bit different in Mallorca.
Christmas in Mallorca is family time
From mid-November you can already enjoy the fairs, markets and village festivals, inviting the whole family to experience the pre-Christmas season in Mallorca with their lights and colors. In all streets and alleys the magnificent Christmas lights are shining, the weather is usually very pleasant and many restaurants offer on the terraces great Christmas meals – or you can drink a hot chocolate at the Christmas market and eat an Ensaïmada, the typical Mallorcan pastry.
Nativity scenes and christmas trees
You can find Christmas trees in Mallorca, they are even sold at the Christmas market, but they are belonging to the Mallorcan Christmas just since a few years. And not really. Mallorcan traditions include nativity sets rather than fir trees. So you will find in almost all houses, town halls, churches, banks and shopping centers lovingly designed cribs. Stroll through Palma’s alleys, there are even special guided tours, where you can experience the variety and history of the nativity scenes.
Christmas lights
In no other city in Spain you will find so many Christmas lights as in Palma. On the 28th of November, the Christmas lights will be officially switched on at the Paseo Borne, cheered and admired by thousands of people, accompanied by many entertaining actions that take place around the historic center. The lights will shine until the celebration of Palma’s patron saint, Sant Sebastià, on January 20, providing a particularly great ambiance while shopping for Christmas presents late into the evening or lingering at the Christmas markets.
Christmas tradition ‘El Gordo’
On the evening of the 22nd of December, the Christmas lottery ‘El Gordo’ will be broadcasted live – this is the beginning of the festivities. Like most Spaniards, the Mallorcans as well have already been buying tickets since the summer everywhere in Spain. This tradition has been firmly anchored in culture since 1812.
Christmas in Mallorca – festive customs with a long tradition
On Christmas Eve family and friends meet to enjoy a traditional Christmas meal, consisting of the typical Christmas soup (sopa de nadal), followed by seafood, fish or stuffed turkey, and the traditional dessert is coques de turró, homemade almond cake.
At midnight it is common to visit the Midnight Mass, the ‘Misa del Gallo’. In Mallorca this particular evening gains a very spechial tone, since it is performed Song of th Sibil·la, which dates back from the 10th century. In the Cathedral of Palma and as well in many other churches, a young girl, dressed in a medieval tunic and holding a sword while singing a middle age song, announcing the arrival of the Judgment Day. The song of the Sibil·la is recognized by UNESCO as a traditional Mallorcan cultural heritage and an indescribably impressive moment. The Mallorcans love parties and celebrations, after the fair people usually have hot chocolate with ensaïmada and they are going out.
The 25.12. is a day to get together with the loved ones and enjoy the traditional Christmas meal. The 26.12. is not a holiday in Mallorca.
Traditional gift giving on Three Kings Day
The highlight of Christmas is reached on the 6th of January, on the Epiphany, when the wise men from the Orient traditionally bring gifts to the children. On the evening of the 5th of January, the Magi reach the capital in an acclaimed parade and bring along the long-awaited gifts, which may finally be unpacked on the 6th of January. Do not miss the traditional Three Kings Parade in Palma, as it is one of the most famous in Spain. The 5th of January the Three Kings of the Orient arrive at the Old Port (Port Vell). From there, the magical spectacle that has been celebrated for 200 years starts, the big procession takes part with a large following of pages and fairy tale characters.
Festivities in January – The end of the Christmas season
The Christmas season is actually finished after January 20, when the Christmas lights in Palma are turned off again. Many Mallorcans take holidays to enjoy completely the best time of the year. Because on January 17, there will be the Winter Fiesta Sant Antoni, as well as on January 20, Sant Sebastian, Palma’s city holiday.
So beautiful and contemplative Christmas time can be! Let Santa carry you on a trip to Mallorca, experience a day trip by catamaran, a yacht charter in Mallorca is a great alternative for the whole family. The weather is mostly springlike, Dolphin Boats takes you even in winter to the most beautiful locations of the island and offers you the opportunity to get to know Mallorca with all its traditions and without any tourism stress!
And when you book your yacht charter in Mallorca right now, you even get a discount – as a small advance on your Christmas present;)