Christmas with a Spanish Touch
Things aren’t looking great in the Netherlands, and for many people it promises to be a rather cheerless Christmas. Not with family gathered around a big table full of delicious dishes. It is what it is. We’ll have to make do for now. Do you still want to celebrate Christmas a bit differently and make it cozier? Then here are five tips to give your Christmas a Spanish touch!
Tip 1: Download the Alicante Like a Local Christmas Playlist
You can find it here if you haven’t downloaded it yet. Spanish Christmas music straight into your living room! Perfect if Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” is already driving you up the wall. And even if you have no idea what’s being sung: if it’s Spanish, it quickly sounds warm and atmospheric. Got the volume up to 10? Then move on to step 2.
Tip 2: Set the table the Spanish way
Get behind your computer and check these tips to dress your table in a Spanish style. MixMamas has perfect Spanish tablecloth looks — white or red with dots. Order a nice tapas dinner set to go with it — like this one .
Tip 3: Spanish menu
You don’t even need a Spanish deli to put a Mediterranean menu on the table. Now that we’re supposed to go out as little as possible, that’s not convenient anyway. In no time you can serve simple and delicious tapas — great as snacks or starters. Or how about a Spanish gourmet meal?
You’ll easily find recipes on the AH site and you can pop everything straight into your online cart. Think meatballs in tomato sauce (albondigas) or pan con tomate (bread with tomato sauce) — which I personally always order when I go for a Spanish breakfast. Sweet‑potato and goat‑cheese tart, or delicious empanadas ?!
Need even more Spanish cooking inspiration? Then check out this book by Janine Jansen: Mediterranean eating while losing weight — a dream combo for the holidays!
Tip 4: Learn to play “Spanish” guitar
It doesn’t get more Spanish than this: playing guitar! Here you’ll find a site with which you can bring Spanish serenades to your neighbors’ balcony in 22 lessons. You happy, they happy! You learn to play guitar using tabs, not sheet music like many courses offer. With the help of MP3s and an online community, you’ll learn Spanish guitar in no time via your phone or computer. A great goal while we’re stuck indoors! Teacher Koen Snoek is from Volendam , so hey… the musical part should be just fine! He’s already guided more than 4,000 students.
Tip 5: Watch a Spanish film or series
Top of the list is of course Casa de Papel ! Who hasn’t seen it yet? Great for your Spanish and super exciting. You’ll want to binge it straight away! But also the slightly less known yet oh‑so‑thrilling Vis a Vis , about a women’s prison, is perfect for streaming this Christmas!
Fariña is a Spanish‑language series on Netflix. It’s about Galicia (northern Spain) in the 1980s, where cocaine was smuggled in. Fan of Narcos and El Chapo? Then you can’t miss Fariña (also known as Cocaine Coast)!
I’m very curious whether you’re going to add a Spanish touch to this special Christmas. Despite all the misery in the world, I wish you happy holidays! Will you let me know in a comment below if you followed one of the tips? Always fun to read!
Saludos,
Monique