A Gay Christmas in Sitges… 2006

Its great to hear (via email) that a lot of you guys are planning on visiting Sitges for the festive Season. We have been asked several questions about what Christmas is like in Sitges. Like most places, the lead up to Christmas is fairly frenetic with lots of shopping, planning and cooking.

Christmas Eve, 24th December (Nochebuena)

Christmas Eve is known as “Nochebuena” (the Good Night). It is a time for family members to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are present in nearly every home. The Christmas Eve gaiety is interrupted at midnight be the ringing of bells calling the families to “La Misa Del Gallo” (Rooster's Mass). The most beautiful of these candlelight services is held at the monastery of Montserrat, high in the mountain near Barcelona, which is highlighted by a boy's choir performing the Mass as if in “one pure voice”.

Boxing Day, 26th December (San Esteban)

The feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28th (Día de los Santos Inocentes) This celebration is equivalent to our April Fool's Day, and is a day for practical jokes (las inocentadas).

New Years Eve, 31st December (Nochevieja)

New Year's Eve is known as “Nochevieja” (the Old Night) as it is the last night of the old year.

Sitges is as busy a place to be as any for New Year's Eve. Most people go out for dinner (so advance restaurant reservations are essential). Later on people go out to party with most of the big gay discos open especially for the night. A lot of Gay people come over from the UK, Germany and France to celebrate in true Spanish Style!

Many also head for Barcelona and visit the main square (you have to get their early)…. This is not for the faint-hearted. Bottles are thrown into the air and everyone brings their own Cava to celebrate. Firecrackers are left off right in-front of your face so be prepared for mayhem… well worth a visit though!

One tradition appears to be fairly new, it seems to go back to a year when there was a surplus of grapes, and so a new tradition was started.

Everyone has to have twelve grapes prepared, and then as the clock strikes each of the strokes of midnight of the old year you must eat a grape, those that do not finish their grapes will not have good luck in the New Year ! New Year begins in Barcelona like a Carnival party with people in masks in the streets, who-like everywhere in Spain – try to eat 12 grapes during the last 12 seconds of the finishing year. A tradition that is said to bring good luck – if you manage it.

A lot of the big gay clubs have major parties on for New Years… we will be bringing you their events as we get them. Keep posted for more details on Sitges too as we receive them, we'll let you know!

Tomorrow The Perfect Christmas Present

Update: Dec 8th 2006

Restaurant Eeterna – Drag show and dinner for New Years Eve.. great fun…
http://www.restauranteeterna.com/

Gay T Dance – Always popular… lots of sexy boys. Gay T Dance is sex-on-legs… lots of cute guys..and some Spanish posers… but good fun.. hard house music (as in most of Spain)
http://www.gaytdance.com/

Metro Disco – One of BCN's biggest gay disco..popular with tourists and ex-pats
http://www.metrodiscobcn.com/main.html

Salvation – hard core clubbing.. lots of boys with their shirts off etc..
http://www.matineegroup.com/