Your first Spanish Christmas, 2026/27
Every date from the 6 December long weekend to Three Kings on 6 January, which days are public holidays where you live, what is open, and 20 phrases for the table.
- Official source read we read it on an official page
- Partly verified confirmed only in part, see the note
- Custom, not law a tradition, not a rule
- Not verified we could not confirm it
Planning help, not legal advice. Public holidays come from the official BOE lists. Customs are traditions, not law, and vary by town and family. Confirm with your employer, school or town hall.
Dates, 6 December 2026 to 6 January 2027
Puente de diciembre: Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception
By law Official source readTuesday 8 December is a public holiday in every region. Constitution Day, 6 December, falls on a Sunday. The BOE lists Monday 7 December as a holiday only in 10 regions (use the picker below); elsewhere it is not an official holiday.
By custom Custom, not lawThe long weekend is popularly called the “puente de diciembre”. Next year Constitution Day is Monday 6 December 2027 and the Immaculate Conception is Wednesday 8 December 2027 (BOE 2027).
Lotería de Navidad (El Gordo)
By law Official source readNot a public holiday: Tuesday 22 December is a normal working day on the BOE lists.
By custom Custom, not lawPartly verifiedThe Christmas lottery draw is held on 22 December at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Madrid's city tourism agenda for 2026-27 lists it, and the theatre says the public can attend, with doors usually opening at 08:00. We could not open the lottery operator's own site (SELAE) from our checker, so confirm the date and time there.
Source: BOE 2026 · esMadrid · Teatro Real
Nochebuena (Christmas Eve)
By law Official source readNot on the national or regional BOE lists, so by law Thursday 24 December is a normal working day. Check your contract or collective agreement for any agreed time off.
By custom Custom, not lawChristmas Eve is the traditional family dinner night; Spain's tourist board calls Christmas a very family-oriented celebration. What is served and who comes varies. If you are invited, ask the host what you can bring (see the phrases).
Source: BOE 2026 · Spain Tourism
Navidad (Christmas Day)
By law Official source readPublic holiday in every region: Friday 25 December (BOE 2026).
Source: BOE 2026
Sant Esteve (St Stephen)
By law Official source readSaturday 26 December is a public holiday in Cataluña and Illes Balears (BOE 2026 annex; the Generalitat's calendar confirms Cataluña). In Arán it is replaced by 17 June, the Fiesta de Arán. In the other regions it is a normal day.
Source: BOE 2026 · Generalitat de Catalunya
Santos Inocentes (Holy Innocents)
By law Official source readNot a public holiday: Monday 28 December is a normal working day.
By custom Custom, not lawA day for practical jokes (“inocentadas”): people stick a paper figure on your back, and the media often run invented stories. Do not believe surprising news today. Joke items are sold at Christmas markets.
Source: BOE 2026 · Spain Tourism
Nochevieja and the twelve grapes
By law Official source readNot a public holiday: Thursday 31 December is a normal working day.
By custom Custom, not lawAt midnight people eat twelve grapes, one with each chime of the clock, for good luck. The best-known clock is the Real Casa de Correos in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, shown on TV. Many trace the custom to 1909, when growers in Levante had a surplus of grapes. Practise once before midnight: twelve in twelve chimes is quick.
Año Nuevo (New Year's Day)
By law Official source readPublic holiday in every region: Friday 1 January 2027 (BOE 2027).
Source: BOE 2027
Cabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings parade)
By law Official source readNot a public holiday: Tuesday 5 January is a normal working day.
By custom Custom, not lawPartly verifiedOn the evening of 5 January the Three Kings parade through cities and towns, and children leave out sweets for the Kings and something for their camels. Madrid's tourism site lists its parade for 5 January 2027 from Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz to Plaza de Cibeles. Other towns have their own parades: check your council's notice for route and times.
Source: BOE 2027 · esMadrid · Spain Tourism
Día de Reyes (Epiphany)
By law Official source readPublic holiday in every region: Wednesday 6 January 2027 (BOE 2027).
By custom Custom, not lawChildren find their presents from the Three Kings in the morning, and families get together to eat roscón de Reyes, a sweet donut-shaped cake decorated with cherries and sometimes filled with cream.
Source: BOE 2027 · Spain Tourism
Is it a holiday where you live?
Based on the BOE list for 2026. Local holidays (up to two a year, set by each town) are not included.
What is usually open or closed
- Official source read
Public holidays are days off work, paid and not made up later (Real Decreto 2001/1983, quoted in the BOE resolution). Offices and schools generally follow the holiday calendar.
Source: BOE 2026
- Official source read
Town halls can add up to two local holidays a year. They are published in the regional or provincial bulletin, not in the BOE list, so check your own town's.
Source: BOE 2026
- Official source read
Shops: each region decides on which Sundays and holidays shops may open (Ley 1/2004, art. 4). The national minimum is 16, regions may change it but never below 10, and they must give priority to days in the Christmas campaign. So shop hours on holidays differ by region.
Source: Ley 1/2004, art. 4
- Official source read
Example, Cataluña: shops stay closed by default on 1 and 6 January and on 25 and 26 December. For 2026 the Generalitat lists Sundays 6, 13, 20 and 27 December as authorised opening days.
Source: Generalitat de Catalunya
- Not verified
Supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, public transport and tourist sights: we found no official source for their hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 and 6 January. Check each business's own notice or your city's transport page, and keep some food at home on holidays.
In an emergency call 112 anywhere in Spain.
20 phrases for the season
Spain (Castilian) pronunciation: stressed syllables in capitals; “th” as in “think” for z and for c before e or i (Latin America says “s”); “h” in the hints is a rough breathy sound like the “ch” in Scottish “loch”. Hints are approximate.
| Spanish | Meaning | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Feliz Navidad! | Merry Christmas! | feh-LEETH nah-vee-DAD |
| ¡Felices fiestas! | Happy holidays! | feh-LEE-thess fee-ESS-tass |
| Feliz Nochebuena | Happy Christmas Eve | feh-LEETH noh-cheh-BWEH-nah |
| ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! | Happy New Year! | feh-LEETH AH-nyo NWEH-voh |
| ¡Feliz Día de Reyes! | Happy Three Kings' Day! | feh-LEETH DEE-ah deh REH-yess |
| ¡Que tengas buenas fiestas! | Have a good holiday! (to one person) | keh TEN-gass BWEH-nass fee-ESS-tass |
| ¡Salud! | Cheers! | sah-LOOD |
| ¿Qué hacéis en Nochebuena? | What are you doing on Christmas Eve? (to a group, Spain) | keh ah-THAY-eess en noh-cheh-BWEH-nah |
| ¿Has comprado lotería? | Have you bought lottery tickets? | ass kom-PRAH-doh loh-teh-REE-ah |
| ¡Que te toque el Gordo! | May you win El Gordo! (the big prize) | keh teh TOH-keh el GOR-doh |
| Gracias por invitarme | Thank you for inviting me | GRAH-thyass por een-vee-TAR-meh |
| ¿Puedo llevar algo? | Can I bring something? | PWEH-doh yeh-VAR AL-goh |
| Todo está muy rico | Everything is delicious | TOH-doh ess-TAH mwee REE-koh |
| ¿Tienes las doce uvas? | Do you have your twelve grapes? | TYEH-ness lass DOH-theh OO-bass |
| ¡Nos vemos en Nochevieja! | See you on New Year's Eve! | nohss VEH-mohss en noh-cheh-VYEH-hah |
| Es una inocentada | It's a prank (28 December joke) | ess OO-nah ee-noh-then-TAH-dah |
| ¿Está abierto hoy? | Is it open today? | ess-TAH ah-BYEHR-toh oy |
| ¿A qué hora cierran? | What time do you close? | ah keh OH-rah THYEH-rrahn |
| ¿Mañana es festivo? | Is tomorrow a public holiday? | mah-NYAH-nah ess fess-TEE-voh |
| ¿Dónde se ve la cabalgata? | Where can I watch the Three Kings parade? | DOHN-deh seh veh lah kah-bahl-GAH-tah |
More first phrases · Phone data in your first 30 days (ES, PT, FR, DE, IT, NL, IE)
Questions
Is 24 December a public holiday in Spain?
No. It is not on the BOE lists, so by law it is a working day, although many people celebrate Nochebuena that evening.
Is 26 December a holiday where I live?
In 2026 only in Cataluña and Illes Balears (Arán excepted). Use the region picker above and check your town's local holidays.
Do I have to eat the twelve grapes?
No. It is a custom for good luck, not a rule. If you want to try, practise once before midnight: twelve grapes in twelve chimes is fast.
When is the Christmas lottery draw?
Tuesday 22 December 2026 at the Teatro Real in Madrid, according to the city's tourism agenda and the theatre. We could not open the operator's own site (SELAE), so confirm the time there.
Sources and what each one confirms
- BOE-A-2025-21667BOE resolution of 17 Oct 2025: public holidays for 2026 (national and by region)
- BOE-A-2026-21254BOE resolution of 8 Oct 2026: public holidays for 2027, published 13 Oct 2026
- treball.gencat.catGeneralitat de Catalunya: official holiday calendar 2026 (26 December, Arán)
- empresa.gencat.catGeneralitat de Catalunya: shop opening hours (closed days, authorised Sundays)
- BOE-A-2004-21421BOE: Ley 1/2004 on shop hours, art. 4 (Sundays and holidays)
- esmadrid.comesMadrid (city of Madrid tourism): Christmas 2026-27 agenda, Lottery, Three Kings parade 5 Jan 2027, New Year's Eve at Puerta del Sol
- teatroreal.esTeatro Real: the Christmas draw is held there every 22 December
- spain.infoSpain Tourism (spain.info): Holy Innocents' Day, Christmas traditions
- socialnewsroom.spain.infoSpain Tourism newsroom: Three Kings Day, parade on the night of 5 January, roscón
- loteriasyapuestas.esSELAE (loteriasyapuestas.es): blocked automated access (HTTP 403), so the Lottery date was not confirmed there
Last checked: 2026-10-20.
How it works
- Check the dates and holidays here, then confirm anything local with your town hall.
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