The night of the Three Wise Men

The night of the Three Wise Men is a special night. Children put on their balconies food and water, and they expect camels to come that night to eat and drink while the Three Wise Men leave their presents.

Children think they should are have well all year because the Three Wise Men would not bring any presents for them, and that such especial night , they go to bed very early to relax and find their presents the next day.

Sweet coal

In Spain it is traditional that the magi bring as a punishment for naughty children the so-called “carbó” (sweet coal). It consists of sugar, stuck in the form of square, painted black, simulating the actual coal.

The parade of the three Wise Men

This night is very especial for the children. Catalonian people celebrate this day with a parade. The kings go in the coach and they walk by the streets, and throw sweets to the people who are seeing it. Is fun! The streets are fill of people. The pages of the king with horses for the street, after the end of the parade the people go to have dinner with the family, etc. And after… ¡The three wise men have come! and all the presents are under the Christmas tree. The children very happy.

L’home dels nassos (Man of the noses)

In Catalonia the last day of the year, old people tell to children to look with attention to the people, because "l’Home dels nassos" walks the streets and has as many noses on his face as days left in the year.
All children look at the people, searching four some person with 365 noses, but they find none.
At the end of the day, their parents explain them:
- It’s only one day until the end of the year, and because of that everybody has as many noses as days has the year.

“Polvorons” and "Torrons"

The Polvorons

The cold is approaching and there are sweets which are usually to eat for those periods, such as “polvorones”, which despite being quite good, in July we would surely eat so happy.
That is why, following tradition, I took this recipe that only fits this time.
With these ingredients I made 23 units, made with the mold of a small glass. The texture is not of those which are rolled back in his mouth but harder.

 The “torrons”, lave a fundamental part of Christmas. specially because they are offer themselves when you are with the family, at the end of the lunch of Christmas. There are different types of “torrons”: those of chocolate, chocolate with almonds, etc

El dia de Sant Esteve (The Boxing Day)

-In Catalunya, the 26th of December we celebrate“ The boxing day “. This day the family gatheres. This day  it is center on a basic way on the lunch. People eat “Canalons” “Pollastre farcit” and “Neules I Torrons”. The kids recite the “Vers de Nadal” and collect money.

Massacre of the Innocents

The Massacre of the Innocents is the commemoration of a historical episode of Christianity: The death of all the two-year-old children in Bethlehem. In Spain, we make some jokes on 28th of December. The TVs tell false news, and people hook dolls of paper on the back of other people. It is a funny day, where the people make jokes and we enjoy very much.

This is the doll of paper that gets hooked up on the back of people

The page Xiu-Xiu

He arrives on December 26^th and leaves on January 5^th.He is responsible for investigating the behavior of children and to inform about them to the Three Wise Men. Someone said that when he is in Terrassa he lives in a street in town. He is close to all boys and girls in the city to give them good advice and to collect their letters to hand them to the Magi. His commission is to investigate the behavior of children and to inform the Wise Men. He also teaches children to write letters.

The Christmas Gifts

At Christmas, it is a tradition to give gifts to the family members, who normally tend to give away simple but beautiful things. But there are people who give away things like computer games, etc. Children are very happy, or so they look so.

Galets Soup

“Escudella” is a dish which was invented long ago by a farmer who took noodles and rice and mixed everything to create this dish. It was typical to have this dish on Thursday and Sunday. Nowadays it is popular for being the strong dish of the lunch of Christmas or Saint Stephen’s day. In this case, it has become traditional to use a special type of pasta shells (its smaller sisters are called “conches”) that highlights for being of a considerable size.

This dish, which is a type of soup, is a typical pot of the Catalan cuisine. It is made by using sausages (black, white and red) as well as a mass of meat with species (pepper, cinnamon, egg and breadcrumb). Moreover, we also add chickpeas, potato, cabbage and different types of meat and bones that can vary according to recipe which is used.

The soup is served in three ways:

· The bowl purely the mentioned one that is the broth with the paste or rice

· The stew, with all the meats used in the stew.

· A third tray with the vegetables.

“Nadales” (Christmas Carols)

The Christmas carols are the typical Christmas songs in Catalonia. The carols represent the spirit of Christmas. I like them because it is very beautiful. The typical thing is the cousins sing on Christmas day.

Christmas Tree

At Christmas it is typical that people buy a tree and decorate it. On the top of the tree we put a star, and shiny beads and strips. Later, The Three Wise Men leave their gifts under the tree.

“Els Pastorets”.

In Catalonia, it is typical at Christmas to represent a popular theater play called “Els Pastorets” (The Little Shepherds). This name makes reference to a play made by shepherds. The plot is about the first Christians and the birth of Christ. The origins of this play is in religious medieval Catalan theatre. A lot of authors have written different versions of it.

Christmas Verse

For 50 years, at the end of lunch time on Christmas day, lots of children have used to recite some Christmas verses. Children have memorized the verses at school. Now, the tradition is the same, and every year, the verses must be different, and brothers or sisters can’t copy the verses recited before. After you recite the verse, your family has to “pay” you some money.

"Caga Tió"

The “Caga Tió” shits it log it consists of the children prick the log with a stick or any utensil.

· In first place, children have to heat the stick on the radiator or the stoves of the kitchen.

Afterwards with the already heated stick you enter me we prick it we sing the typical song of the log.

Catalan

Caga tió,
caga torró;
si no et daré
cop de bastó.

Caga tió,
d’avellanes i torró;
tant si cagues com si no
et donaré un cop de bastó.
Caga tió!!!

English

 Log shit, it shit nougat;
if not, I will hit you with the.

It log shit, I shit hazelnuts and nougat;
if you shit as if you don’t hit you with the stick.
It log shit!!!

Depends on the tone and the desires when we sing and we t the log, it will shit more or less.

• Perhaps that the logs the first time does not shit much or anything.
• The log usually shits toys.
• Children have to hit the Caga Tió with a Side, and 2 at the some time, they to sing a song.

The Catalan Cava

The Catalan cava is an alcoholic beverage that is drunk in celebrations, especially on Christmas and New Year's Eve. The Cava is very much like Champagne, but its colour is a little clearer. Adults drink it mostly on New Year’s Eve, and sometimes children drink a bit too. People drink Cava once they’ve had dinner. And when they have the dessert, and someone proposes a toast, people collide glasses and drink a little.

“Missa del gall” (Midnight Mass)

In English is “Mass of the Rooster”. In Catalonia it is a typical costume going to church on the 24th of December at 12 at night. It is to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

La Fira de Santa Llúcia

The “Fira de Santa Llúcia” is a Christmas market. It started 200 years ago, and it is in front of the cathedral or church in the city. Although Saint Llúcia is the saint patron of the blind and those with eye-trouble and the professions that require having good, such as dressmakers and milliners. It celebrates the day on December 13, the date on which his devotees visit his chapel inside the cathedral, the market starts to work a few days before and ending the day on December 23.

Global exhibition

United Kingdom

We are Aina, Víctor, Carla, Andrea, Aleix and David. Our class is second B of ESO at Escola El Cim, in Terrassa.

Our idea about the United Kingdom is that the hooligans drink a lot of beer and they lose control. Your country is divided into four regions: England, Wales, Scotland and North Ireland.




















Hello, our names are Marc, Adrian, Santi, Tamara and Sandra.

We have worked the stereotypes of United Kingdom, your country. We think that there:

They eat hamburgers and chips every day.

They wear socks and sandals together.

They go with old black nice taxis and double deck red buses.

They drink a lot of beer, and tea at five o'clock.

They go to the beach all the summer.

Your English Queen is well known.
















The London Eye is very nice.

English people are very football-fan.

In your country, it rains a lot.

Rock music is very popular in the United Kingdom, with Rolling Stones and the Beathes.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Greece

Hello,

We are Xènia, Ainhoa, Sílvia, Pablo and Cristina, and we are from Escola el Cim deTerrassa, a city near Barcelona.

We had worked Greece stereotypes, and we think that:
You’re very easy-going.
You have got beautiful beaches and a lot of very small islands.
In Greece it’s always sunny and hot.
You’re always eating yogurt (in Catalonia we have got a yogurt brand named Yogur Griego (Greek yogurt). All your houses are white and blue.
You’ve got a very important past.
We put Mama Mia film’s pictures, because it was filmed in a Greek island.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading our opinion about your country. Now it is your turn, write to us about our stereotypes!

See you soon!

Poland

Hello,

We are Natasha, Nina, Júlia, Anabel and Marc. We have worked the stereotypes of Poland.

In Poland we think that the people eat a lot but not at the same time as we do.

For example, they have breakfast earlier than us, then in the middle of the day they only have a small lunch.

Their main lunch is in the afternoon when they arrive home, more or less at five.

Most of people are blond and their eyes are blue.

The weather is very cold in winter and it always snows.

We are looking forward to having your opinion soon.

Portugal

Hello!

We are Carlos, Gloria, Miquel and Mario. We live in Terrassa (Barcelona) and we go to El Cim school.

The stereotypes that represent your country for us are:

fado, because you sing sad songs.

Carabellas, because we think that you are good navigators.

Fires, because your country is very dry and hot, and this facilitates fires.

Rural life, because there are more people who live in villages than in towns.

Football selection, because you have got some good football players, like Cristiano Ronaldo.

The rooster, because is the sign of your country.

Oporto and Lisboa, because they are important cities.

We hope you enjoy it! Goodbye!

Hello!

We are Bet, Marta, Carlos, Alex and Nerea. We're from Terrassa in Spain.

We are working on stereotypes of Portugal. The things that we think about your country are:

That you are very good conquerors, because you conquered Brazil.

That you have a good football team.

Those in your house have got a lot of dogs.

That you are good surfers.

That in your country there are beautiful beaches.




















We hope that you like it and we look forward to getting your opinions soon.

Goodbye!