I love Christmas in Lanzarote. It somehow retains a naiveté that Northern Europe has lost. From the fact that Christmas doesn’t really “start” here until a week or so before the great day, to the general lack of commercialisation, it all feels the way I imagine it did in 50’s Britain.

I adore the little Belen nativity displays that every village produces at this time of year. Some are incredibly elaborate, with working water mills, lights that work, and the odd little joke like the bare bum man who can always be found on Haria’s display.

Locals enjoy their main meal of the celebration on Christmas Eve, where families get together and many then attend midnight mass. Christmas day itself is pretty quiet here and is treated as a day of rest.

New Year’s eve is very different. Once again, families will get together for a big meal, which is timed to end at midnight, with everyone eating twelve grapes as the clock strikes the hour. For that reason, you’ll find that the streets are almost deserted before midnight. But once the grapes are eaten, everyone bursts out of their houses, wearing their best clothes, and the party really starts!

December the 6th is the main celebration of Christmas, and traditionally the day that kids get their presents – after it was the day the King’s gave Jesus his gifts. Most towns and villages have a camel procession of Kings, who will throw sweets into the crowd.

Christmas in Lanzarote is magic, and I love it!

You can see a timetable of Christmas events on the island here: Christmas and New Year in Lanzarote