It's easy to tell that it's the holiday season in Madrid by all the incredible lights lining the city's main streets and plazas. On a few nights, we bundled up and walked around, discovering illuminating surprises around every corner.
A week or so before Christmas, we went to one of the most impressive light shows I've ever seen. It took place in one of the main plazas, with the City Hall facade as the backdrop.
The animation was such that at times it seemed as if parts of the building were actually crumbling and then rising again. The playful story, of a toy factory preparing for Christmas, even had a fireworks finale!
Each year at my school, the classes learn Christmas carols in English and Spanish for a little concert they put on for the other grade levels before Christmas break. I enjoyed helping my classes practice, even when it was a bit hectic (ie: on more than one occasion I had 80 1st graders in one room learning 'Jingle Bell Rock'...haha, what an experience!)
Here are my 5 year olds singing in full holiday season costumes! We had shepherds, angels, Santas, the 3 Kings, reindeer...
...and even my little buddy Pablo...the cutest Christmas tree you'll ever see!
Here's Angel introducing the first grade class singing 'Jingle Bell Rock'.
And they're waving their spirit fingers for the finale, just like I taught them! So proud!
One unique thing about the way Spain celebrates the holidays is their focus on the Three Magic Kings who came to see Jesus on January 6th. For most families here, the 6th is the big day for presents and celebration (similar to what American children experience Christmas morning getting up early to find goodies under the tree and then later in the day having a big meal with family and friends). For this reason, Spain also has a much longer break from school (over 2 weeks!)
The last day before the holiday break, some of the high school kids dressed up as the Three Kings and their traveling entourage, and the younger kids got to visit them. The kids all made cards with little messages and drawings to give the Kings (much like letters to Santa). Each child got to choose which King they wanted to speak with and then waited in line for their turn to sit on their lap (sound familiar? :) ).
Feliz Navidad de Casa de Leon!!
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