Christmas Day
When is it celebrated
The Nativity of the Lord is celebrated every year on 25 December. In the Christian calendar it is a fixed-date solemnity dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ. The liturgical celebration begins in the afternoon and evening of 24 December with the vigil and the popular Midnight Mass, and continues on the 25th with the dawn and daytime masses.
Is it a holiday or a working day?
In Spain, 25 December is a non-replaceable national public holiday: in general it is a paid and non-recoverable rest in all autonomous communities and autonomous cities. The official list of public holidays for 2026 identifies it with an asterisk, the code reserved for non-replaceable national holidays. Although its state nature is permanent in the regulations, it is advisable to consult the work calendar of the corresponding year and the conditions of the sector or position, since the services that must be maintained can organise work on holidays with their applicable compensation regime.
Origin and geographical link
It is a Christian celebration of international scope, linked in the evangelical story with Belén, place of Jesus' birth. In Spain it has a religious, family and civil dimension at the same time: it is part of the Catholic liturgical calendar and the state work calendar. The specific ways of celebrating it respond to traditions shared with other Christian countries and to customs developed in each Spanish region and locality.
Regular events
Parishes and cathedrals celebrate Christmas Eve services and masses on 25 December; The schedules depend on each temple. Outside the liturgical sphere, family gatherings and meals, singing Christmas carols, visiting nativity scenes and nativity scenes, and cultural or solidarity activities promoted during the Christmas cycle are common. Museums, palaces, town halls and other institutions can organise nativity scene exhibitions, routes, concerts and workshops, but their programme must be checked each season.
Usual duration of events
The core of the solemnity covers the night of 24 December and 25, while a specific mass or meeting usually lasts a few hours. Nativity scenes, exhibitions and public activities usually remain open for several weeks during the Christmas period; For example, institutional programmes can begin before the 25th and last until the first days of January. There is no single duration for these events and it is necessary to review dates, times and reservations in the annual programming of each entity.
Traditions and history
The festival commemorates for Christians the incarnation and birth of Jesus, narrated by the gospel of Luke with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the child lying in a manger. Among its most recognisable expressions are the Midnight Mass, carols and the representation of the birth. The tradition of the nativity scene received a decisive boost in Greccio (Italy), where in 1223 Saint Francis of Assisi prepared a living representation with a manger, hay, an ox and a donkey, accompanied by the celebration of the Eucharist.
In Spain, nativity scenes took root both in homes and in public spaces. National Heritage highlights the role of Charles III and Charles IV in the implementation of the tradition of Neapolitan nativity scenes linked to the court. Today, domestic births, monumental and living nativity scenes coexist, always with regional and local variants.
Where is it celebrated
It is celebrated throughout Spain, both in homes and in churches, cathedrals, convents and other places of worship. Christmas performances and activities also occupy squares, cultural centres, museums, palaces, schools, hospitals and other community spaces. Bethlehem preserves the central symbolic and religious connection, while each Spanish municipality provides its own nativity scene tours, concerts and public events.
Who participates
Faithful and parish communities, priests, choirs and liturgy teams participate in religious celebrations; families and friends in domestic gatherings; and nativity scene associations, musicians, artisans and volunteering in cultural and solidarity activities. City councils, dioceses, museums and other public or religious institutions can organise programmes open to residents and visitors. Assistance and the responsible entity change depending on the event and location.