Yzabelle Bostyn
EVER wished it could be Christmas everyday? This village in Spain celebrates the festivities in August thanks to a quirky tradition established in the 90s.
If you stumbled across Berchules, Granada, last weekend you would be forgiven for thinking it was December.
Hundreds of people wandered the streets wearing Santa hats and antlers, while Bing Crosby’s White Christmas floated through the white washed alleys.
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Photo: The Olive Press
But there’s no snow capping the Alpujarran mountains, in fact, it’s the first weekend of August.
That’s because in this small town, Christmas and New Year’s are celebrated twice a year.
The ‘New Year’s in August’ tradition began on December 31, 1994 when a power cut hit Berchules, cancelling celebrations for the town’s 400 residents.
Locals vowed to never let this happen again, instead holding a fiesta during the first weekend of August each year.
Photo: La Alpujarra Llena de Vida
‘Nochevieja en Agosto’ is a condensed version of Spain’s traditional festivities, with the Three Kings, Roscon de Reyes, grapes on New Year’s and even its very own lottery.
Currently, between 10-12,000 people attend the fiesta each year, converting this sleepy town into a hive of festive mayhem.
Families snap pictures with inflatable gingerbread houses and glittering Christmas trees after sampling festive snacks from local stalls.
A brass band dances through the crowd playing festive hits, followed by people puppeting inflatable horses in an impressive spectacle.
Photo: The Olive Press
There’s also a museum narrating the history of the fiesta and a nativity trail complete with a playmobil scene.
Follow the dusty streets up and you will find a small shop selling ‘packs’ including a Santa hat, streamers, party horns and, of course, twelve grapes, all for the low price of €3.
Fiesta organisers also sell tshirts, hats and fans, just in case you overheat in your festive regalia.
After buying your wares, head further up the hill (yes, more hills), until you reach the church square.
Grab a beer from the nearby bar and enjoy the chaotic atmosphere as local TV crews try to interview drunk partygoers while hyper children run through the crowds.
As you dance to the live music booming through the small square, crowds will gather in anticipation of the midnight countdown.
Photo: The Olive Press
Locals shovel down grapes before hugging their loved ones and belting out Spain’s Christmas anthem, ‘Feliz Navidad’.
While many families chose to head home at this point, the party is far from over and revellers spill out into neighbouring plazas to dance until the sun rises.
