Spanish customs

Spaniards often spend a long time over a meal talking and enjoying, each other's company, and perhaps sharing a drink. This is usual at the weekends at lunch.

The Spanish have a siesta or midday break from work or school to eat lunch and relax. Some businesses close down for a few hours each afternoon. This began to give farm workers a rest from the hot midday sun. Families in the country still take a siesta to go home to eat with their families. In the large cities some large shops and offices now only take a one hour lunch as people are commuting to work and can’t go home for lunch with their families.

The Spanish often have wine with their meals

The Spanish drink lots of coffee and they drink several cups of coffee during the day. It is also common to have coffee after your meals

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Know the rules

Spaniards don't like to waste food. It is better to say no to food rather than leave it on your plate.

The Spanish say ‘good appetite’ (que aproveche/buen apetito) before starting a meal.

If you aren’t offered a (another) drink it’s time to go home.

Traditions

Every August in the town of Buñol outside Valencia, the people hold a tomatina food-fight when thousands of friendly combatants throw tomatoes at one another.

To bring good luck in the year ahead, Spaniards traditionally eat twelve grapes, one with each chime of the clock at midnight on New Year's Eve.

On February 3, St. Blaise's Day ( Día de San Blas ) small loaves of bread, called panecillos del santo, are baked and then blessed at Mass. According to tradition, all the children in the house are to eat a bit of this bread to protect them from choking in the year ahead.

The Christmas season officially begins on December 24, called Nochebuena (the "good night”) when there is a special family dinner.

On January 6, a traditional Roscón de Reyes (a sweet bread) is baked. A small surprise, such as a coin, is put the cake and the person who finds it in his piece is believed to enjoy good luck in the year ahead.