Discover Majorca’s New Year and Twelfth Night traditions

New Year is celebrated around the world from midnight onwards. Time differences mean that Australia and New Zealand are the first to welcome in the New Year, and as the hours go by, other countries join in the festivities.

On Majorca, as in the rest of Spain, the arrival of the New Year is marked by eating 12 lucky grapes, one for each stroke of the bell at midnight. A tradition we will also be sharing after our New Year’s Eve Dinner at the Pabisa Bali Hotel.

Spectacular firework displays signal the start of a party that lasts till dawn, ending with a traditional breakfast of hot drinking chocolate shared with family and friends. The magnificent explosion of light and colour that can be seen over Palma Bay is quite simply spectacular.

1st January is a public holiday, and is celebrated with a large family meal to get the New Year off to the best possible start, surrounded by loved ones.

Twelfth Night is another traditional New Year celebration, held on 6th January. Tradition has it that the Three Kings travelled from far-off lands to Bethlehem to worship the Baby Jesus and bring him gifts. In Spain, it is the Three Kings, and not Father Christmas or Santa Claus that bring the children their presents.

At 5.30 p.m. on 5th January, the evening before Twelfth Night, the Three Kings arrive in the city of Palma by boat, and take part in a magnificent parade around the city, handing out sweets to everyone who goes to see them. If you have never seen the Three Kings parade, then don’t miss the opportunity to admire one of the oldest in Spain, a tradition dating back more than 200 years.

The next morning, children unwrap their gifts and families take advantage of the opportunity to get together once again for another huge meal. The traditional dessert is the “roscón de Reyes”, a ring-shaped cake made of sweet dough decorated with candied fruit and a crown. Two objects are hidden in the dough: a figure and a bean. According to tradition, the person that finds the bean has to pay for the dessert, whilst whoever gets the figure will be crowned king. Are you ready to have a go?

Learn about more local customs with our post on Christmas traditions on Majorca.

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