Christmas at our schools

It is very interesting to experience Christmas in another country. Both mine and Ben's schools openly celebrated Christmas in school. Ben's little students were learning Christmas carols and decorating ornaments. My school had put up a big Christmas tree and students decorated it with ornaments and drawings of Santa, the Wise Men and Christmas trees. There was also a nativity scene set up at the foot of the tree. I liked that Christmas wasn't taboo like it can be in the States. 

Not only is Christmas openly celebrated in the schools, everywhere you go there are belénes. (Nativity scenes) The nativity scenes here are quite elaborate. Instead of the traditional Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Wise Men and Shepperds you can also find the everyday people that would've been in the town when Jesus was born. There was even one belén that showed some people killing a pig! The belén we saw in El Escorial was life size papier-mâché people and was set up over a couple of blocks. It was amazing! 

We have really enjoyed Christmas here and it was even more special because my family was able to join us! They were here for about a week and we had a lot of fun touring them around Madrid, El Escorial, which was a new place for us, and also taking them to Segovia.

Pictures of the Christmas decorations at my school: