Besides the holiday traditions, the atmosphere in Spain in the period is like that in Moldova – a lot of purchases and food, Moldovan young woman Anastasia Condruc, who has lived in Spain for several years, has told IPN.
“I live in Barcelona, but I have spent the winter holidays in Madrid the second year already. I have big plans this year. I will take part in an event together with hundreds of bicyclists that will take place in the evening of December 31. Afterward, I will have dinner with the family of my partner. We will eat 12 grape fruits when the clocks strike 12 midnight and will then go to a bar together with our friends,” stated Anastasia Condruc.
The young woman said there are several nice traditions in Spain that she likes a lot, especially in Catalonia. “For example, on Christmas the presents are brought by a Caga Tio – a tree trunk that has a hat and its face painted. The children must beat it with a twig and cover it with a blanket. When they come back, they will find candies and other presents at its bottom,” said Anastasia.
In Madrid, they eat by one grape fruit each second during the last 12 seconds of the year and many persons can choke in the period as it is not so easy to eat them so quickly. “After New Year’s Eve, they eat a very tasty crust with cream called roscon. Last year I was close to breaking a tooth as I didn’t know that a small, ceramic toy is hidden inside it. The person who finds it must purchase the next roscon,” said the young woman.
Anastasia also said that she does not celebrate the winter holidays in her house and does not cook as in Moldova, but celebrates Christmas at the end of December together with Romanians and Moldovans, where they prepare pies, forcemeat rolls of cabbage, salads and other food that is appreciated by the Spanish people too.
Anastasia wished her compatriots from Moldova a year when they will take care of them and their relatives and will do things that will make them happy.
