Esta noche es nochebuena...

...y manana Navidad*!!

I've been reading blogs from those away from home this Christmas, as well as talking to some of my friends overseas. This time of year can often be a struggle when living abroad, even for those who don't consider themselves to be very religious. Perhaps that's because Christmas is just as much about tradition as it is religion, if not more. It's about being with your family, eating cherry cordials on Christmas morning, nibbling on toast and sipping coffee while lounging around in your pyjamas and opening gifts. At least that's part of what Christmas is to me, and it was that image in my head every year abroad that made me so homesick.

When I was in Spain, my adopted family (the same family that had adopted my older sister when she lived in Spain years before) invited me over for Christmas Eve. In Spain, la Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve, is more significant that Christmas Day itself (of course it is Three Kings Day in January that is most relevant). They prepared a meal fit for Christmas Eve: seafood salad with octopus, shrimp, sea scallops and some delicious vinagrette. We watched King Juan Carlos deliver his annual Christmas Eve speech on TV. All I could think was "Where are chocolates? What about the mince pie? Mulled wine? Christmas carols?" Amador, the father, made some silly joke, but I was so distraught about being away from home, its humour was lost on me. He asked if his joke was really that bad, and I began to sob, much to everyone's shock and dismay. When they asked what was wrong, all I could choke out was "Quiero estar en mi propio pais." I want to be in my own country. This wasn't my first Christmas away from home, and in fact, I had spent the previous year in Sharjah. Christian country for Christmas, should be more festive, right? Not so much. In an attempt to stop the incoherent sobbing, they promptly asked what I would be doing in my own country (I don't know why this happens in Spain, but people rarely referred to the US specifically when speaking about home countries. They always said, "..and what about your country?" "?Y en la nochebuena, que haces con tu familia en tu pais?" ...en mi pais... is actually a lot easier to say than "Los Estados Unidos," I suppose.)Anyway, I digress. I told them my father played the piano, and we all sang Christmas carols, to which they grabbed an almirez-a metal mortar, used as an instrument. We called up everyone they knew, pranking them by shouting Christmas carols into the phone whilst banging away on the almirez. "Esta noche es nochebuena, y manana Navidad..." Tonight is Christmas Eve, and tomorrow Christmas Day. Many on the receiving end of our calls just hung up on us.

For those of you away from home and family this season, may you blessed with some crazy Spaniards singing off-key, or some other quirky experience that makes for unforgettable Christmas memories!

*Disclaimer: I don't have a Spanish keyboard, so I know there are accents and tildes missing all over the place.