The Christmas spirit has definitely kicked in. There are little train cars in the streets here with people cooking unas castanas- chestnuts for people to eat hot off the pot! There are lights with little figures like Christmas trees or little lit up houses high up on the streets. They have lit up tomatoes in the streets in Deusto, a part of Bilbao, because years ago Bilbainos were famous for cultivating the best tomatoes from the fertile land. The people here are nicknamed tomateros. There are names like that all over Spain, like the people in Burgos, where my host mom is from (just southwest of Bilbao), are called soperas- because they are famous for their soups. All the streets in Casco Viejo (the old quarter) are lit up with the figures at night hanging between the buildings and it is so nice. Then the river has lights all over at night that are very pretty as well.
Kids in El Pais Vasco celebrate Christmas twice as much as regular spanish kids. They have this basque man named "Olentzero" who comes down from the mountains every 26th of december to give kids presents. He is the papa noel of el Pais Vasco i suppose. He is told to have been a coal miner bringing eggs...a ver funny image no? Then they have Kings day where I guess kings bring them gifts as well.
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