traditions & sundresses

It's been cold and windy last days, really season-appropriate weather, so I'm wearing my winter coats and scarves and hats (nothing less than the same old stuff!, so interesting!). But I've also worn some of my 'winter sundresses'. And lots of pink, whatever the reason!

Ha hecho bastante frío y viento estos últimos días, un clima totalmente propio de la época del año, así que me he puesto los habituales abrigos, bufandas y gorros, nada más y nada menos que ¡las mismas cosas de siempre¡. Pero también han vuelto a la acción estos vestidos teóricamente de verano que me pongo siempre en invierno. Y estoy poniéndome mucho rosa, porque sí.

- maxi dress, second hand (eBay) some years ago / vestido largo, de segunda mano en eBay, hace años
- turtleneck, retail (old) / cuello vuelto, de tienda local
- cardigan, 4x4 (old) / chaqueta
- scarf, street market (old) / pañuelo, del mercadillo
- necklace, charity market (old) / collar, de un mercadillo solidario
- boots, DrMartens (old) / botas
- coat, La Redoute (old) / abrigo
- crochet beret (old) / boina de ganchillo
- cork bag, Fine Cork Portugal / bolso de corcho
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- cotton sundress, charity shop (old) / vestidito de algodón, de Cáritas (hace años)
- tights, Snag / medias
- sneakers, Chiruca outlet (old) / zapatillas
- shearling coat, second hand, Asos Marketplace boutique Bich / abrigo de piel vuelta, de segunda mano en Asos Marketplace boutique Bich
- scarf, retail (old) / bufanda, de tienda local

As a note for my no spanish readers, we're just beginning Christmas celebrations here in Spain, as they last until the 6th of January! (even if we've incorporated the Santa Claus stuff, which is not traditional here, but it's totally accepted)
Traditionally, Christmas celebrations start on 22th December, when the Christmas lottery draw is aired in tv and radio and it is usually the first day of holidays for children. Nowadays most people hang ornaments and decorate their trees early this month, and they also set the typical Nativity scene or Belén. This is something that most children love as it involves creating a landscape, placing the figures and sometimes even building some scale model houses, a grotto and a castle. There are some professionally made scenes in city halls (and others institutions), which even have running water rivers, massive castles made of cork, windmills moved by a small engine and recreations of an old village with every trade represented. Some of them can have hundreds of figures and be quite impressive.
Obviously not everybody is so skilled nor have the time and money that this requires. But most people have just a few figures, and make something that is more diorama like, create a river using foil paper, dust some flour to create a snowy effect, and make a grotto using cardboard and cork. Traditionally, children move the Three Wise Men figurines a little bit everyday, until they arrive to the grotto on 6th January (Epyphany), when the presents are delivered to every (good) child by these Three Magicians. Children overnight their shoes (not their socks!) to be filled with presents, and leave some biscuits and milk for the Magicians, and some hay for their camels. And obviously, there is still the special lunch on 6th January and some King Cake which has a figurine or coin inside for the lucky one who find it!
Actually, I'm not interested in consumerism and dislike usual shopping frenzy that starts before christmas and keeps going on trough sales. I'm totally in the Grinch team. But I've always admired model making and craftmanship, and I love the turrón and the King Cake!.

This is a massive salad I made for dinner on 26th December, using some leftovers, tomatoes, carrots, beetroot and avocado. Something simple but colourful!

Esta es una ensalada enorme que hice para cenar la noche del 26, con algunas sobras, tomates, zanahorias, remolacha y un aguacate. Bien sencilla y colorida.

Hope you're enjoying a fabulous time and keeping yourselves safe!

Espero que estéis pasando un rato estupendo y que sigáis teniendo cuidado.