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Keep it down!

Today, I’m not going to talk about the weather. Thank goodness for that, I hear you say.

Living in Spain we are all used to the uproariousness, the joyous shouting and laughter, the noise of everyone from the bombona man calling out to customers as he brings his gas canisters, to the man at his fruit and veg stall extolling the virtues of his onions. After a local victory in a football match, everyone sounds their horns as they celebrate, driving along with their team’s scarf trailing out of their car window. After a Sevilla-Betis derby a few years ago – I think it was a league final - the hooting went on all night, literally. I heard the next day that my neighbour, an irascible English teacher who shall remain nameless (his flat, like ours, faced the internal patio), had actually run into the main avenue outside our block in his underpants, stood in the middle of the road, and shouted at the motorists, ´´Shut the **** up!´´

Knowing the Andalucian propensity for exaggeration as I do, I took this with a pinch of salt; but then, knowing the neighbour’s temper, it could equally be true. The noise had bothered me as well, but I am far too lazy to run all the way downstairs, across patios and out into the street to shout at people who will either laugh at me, or ignore me, which would only intensify my fury.

So I wasn’t very surprised to find out that Spain is the second-noisiest country in the world, after Japan (Japan?). Apparently, one in four Spaniards (or Spanish residents, I presume) is exposed to excessive noise levels. The tolerable level is 45 decibels, and on the TV news the other day, the reporter measured 75db in a Madrid street. One report claims that this causes anxiety and stress in 25% of the population, problems of concentration and irritability in 28% (my ex-neighbour), and aggressive behaviour in a considerable 36% (my ex-neighbour again).

I would imagine that this applies largely to urban areas – the flat I lived in at the time was just off Seville’s main circular route which follows the old city walls. Perfect for driving round and round for hours on end, tooting your horn to celebrate your team’s victory and annoying intolerant, bad-tempered English teachers (I think he left the country soon after).

Of course, most people who live in cities reside in flats, which don’t afford much in the way of noise privacy. I remember being pregnant and having my siesta interrupted on a daily basis by the most tuneless singing I have ever heard from my neighbour (different flat), accompanied by the same phrase repeated on the piano. I almost wept in frustration when he ignored my banging on the wall. While living in flats in Spain I’ve heard babies screaming, a violin being assassinated, numerous rows and couplings, and loud, hysterical tears. No wonder one of Spain’s most popular TV series was about the characters who inhabit a block of flats – they can all talk about, spy on, and interfere in each others’ lives – a popular pastime here.

A new website called ‘Que nada te quite el sueño´ - don’t let anyone stop you sleeping – has a few suggestions – take off your heels when you’re walking about (note: this is especially true if you have wooden floorboards; if your dog has long claws, please clip them); only use the horn when it’s necessary (ha! How many times a day do you see a blind/deaf/stupid/dangerous motorist? Isn’t it self-defence, and your civic responsibility, to stop the idiot from pulling out in front of you because he hasn’t seen you, because he was talking to his mate, or using his mobile phone? Therein lies another entire blog post); and control the volume of your TV and music. It is perfectly normal in Spain to leave the TV on at full blast all day, whether or not you are watching it, having a conversation, or the kids are trying to do their homework. A friend of mine told me that visitors sometimes actually turn on her TV when they come round, so she did what any sensible person would do – she hid the remote control.

I was delighted to find mention of a ´Dia Internacional Sin Ruido’, which took place on 29 April last year, during which children where educated in ´Culture of Good Sound Practices´ - sounds like something they’d teach in China. How intriguing. Instead of yelling ´Mamaaaaaaa’ at ear-splitting volume, do they whisper? Instead of blasting out their heavy rock music, do they play folk at a softer, more considerate volume? Rather than calling to their siblings in the street, do they ask politely, ´Excuse me, Pablo, would you mind coming here please?’ I think not.

Like smoking, I can’t see the Spanish changing their behavioural habits that easily. In any case, how would anyone ever be able to collect their tapas order at a bar without the barman shouting, ´Pacoooo, solomillooooo’ at the top of his voice?

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Here Comes the Sun

Oh dear, I seem to be rather weather-obsessed, don’t I? I blame my mother, who being a typical Englishwoman, is never happier than when discussing what sort of wind is blowing, where it’s coming from, and whether there’s going to be a frost tomorrow morning. The weather forecasts on TV and radio are treated with almost the same reverence as the Queen’s speech. Noone is allowed to speak while it’s on, or you get shushed to within an inch of your life. I still get the full local meteorological low-down over the phone when I call her.

Here in Andalucia, there’s one aspect of the weather that we can almost always rely on: sunshine. Right now, in the winter, we have beautiful pure-blue-sky days, like today; ‘regular’ days, like yesterday, with some sun and some cloud; and real stinkers, like those weeks and weeks of endless rain, grey skies and general gloom. But for a large part of the year, we have days and days of sun, sun, sun. You don’t have to worry about what it’s going to be like, because you know - sunny.

OK, I know I am stating the obvious for many of you, but for those who aren’t lucky enough to live here in Andalucia, it is incredibly sunny for much of the year, with a minimum average of six hours daily in January, going up to 11 hours in July. When we go back to England, to visit family, my (Andalucian) husband blanches visibly at the sight of overcast skies, thick clouds and not even a glimpse of the yellow orb for weeks on end - and that’s in July. He could never, ever live there.

So it seems entirely logical, if a little belated, to read that yet another massive solar power plant is going to be built in Andalucia. Torresol’s 100-megawatt Valle 1 and Valle 2 will be located in San Juan del Valle in Cadiz province, with the project getting under way next month and taking two years to complete.

The new plants will create 3,200 jobs, which is great news for the local economy, and eventually produce enough electricity to supply 80,000 homes, while saving 90,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is great news for the environment. The whole project will cost over 70 million euros, and, unlike other solar power plants, will use (or rather test) new technology to enable it to produce electricity at night, and when there isn’t much sunlight. Don’t expect me to explain the technicalities of this, as science is not my strong point. But I did read somewhere that each panel has an optical sensor to ensure that it follows the sun´s movements, to obtain the maximum benefit.

If you’ve read this far, then you may well have already heard about the extraordinary solar power plant which opened nearly two years ago just outside Seville, in Sanlucar la Mayor. The Solucar PS10 plant has made the news all over the world, literally, as the first commercial solar power tower, while is quite something when you think what a relative current affairs and cutting-edge technology backwater south-western Andalucia is. It makes enough power (11 megawatts) to power 5,500 homes, and by 2013 this will increase to 180,000 homes (300MW).

I went to visit it for an article, and was taken up the massive tower whose extraordinary, other-worldly blinding light you can see from the Huelva motorway. It is very James Bond, with all these massive mirrors laid out in a rather pretty arrangement in a field. Since I was there, another two such towers have gone into operation at the same site. The most exciting plan I have heard is for a 400-billion-euro plant in the Sahara Desert, the size of Wales, to provide 15% of Europe’s power.

I get a warm feeling when I read about such plans, because I think they are such indisputably good news. We have all this sunshine, all this free, renewable energy, so why not use it? Why not harvest it to good effect, helping us power our washing machines and fridges, reducing our dependency on ever-decreasing fossil fuels? It seems a win-win situation to me.

And of course we can each do our own bit for the environment too by putting solar panels on our rooves, to heat our hot water, and swimming pools if we’re lucky enough to have one (no chlorine, please) - you can read more about sustainable energy sources in our Green Andalucia feature this month. I have to admit that I don’t have any solar panels on my own house yet - I don’t even have mains water - but do have plans to install them. Honestly. I will put my money where my mouth is. Will you?

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Linked In, online and in the loop

Very exciting to read last week that high-speed internet access will soon be extended to every village in Andalucia. Apparently, the 600 villages that aren’t currently connected to the net will be able to do so using mobile phones. This is a terrific idea, when you think how the internet has completely revolutionised our lives. Not to mention amazing considering that this is southern Spain, where (in some areas at least) not so long ago the ideas of email, websites and the internet were considered frighteningly modern. Friends tell me of Spanish people who still today tell them proudly, ‘I´ve got email now.’ I’ve seen plenty of websites of local companies with a homepage and nothing else - no contacts details, no information, nothing.

At the other end of the scale, I was in a restaurant last night where several of a large group of 15 or 16-year-olds were using iphones. I have also heard of a plan to provide schoolchildren with notebook computers. And, of course, many Spanish companies are now at the cutting edge of technology when it comes to user-friendly, easily-navigable websites with all the latest gizmos for keeping you up-to-date with their latest activities.

As I learned at a work thinktank last week, all our communications - work, personal, social - will soon be done on mobile devices, probably a cross between a notebook computer and a phone, possibly like Apple’s new 11-inch-screen Tablet, which is launched in the US this week. Tomorrow´s gizmo will be able to make calls; send email; surf the internet; post tweets and blogs; take, upload and watch photos and videos; play music (and probably make it too); read ebooks; tell you where you are, where you need to go, who else you know has been there, what they thought of it, and what they ate.

We are more instantly and constantly informed, connected and updated than ever before. But from my position living near a small, quiet country village (albeit very near a city), I can see both sides of this. Most of the people where I live aren’t aware of Twitter, Vimeo or blogspace. It’s just not relevant to their lives - and if you don´t know what these are either, it’s couldn’t be easier to find out - check out Twitter on andalucia.com.

Then there´s the other side - my own life, stuck to the computer for more hours a day than I care to admit, chatting to friends, looking at their photos, seeing what they’re up to, personally and professionally, laughing at their comments and comparing their lives to mine - oh, and working, of course. My excuse is that I live a somewhat isolated life as an expat with a husband who works very long hours, two small children and not much local social activity, so this virtual social life keeps me in touch - and sane. And it can benefit my (and your) professional life too, as the social-media-techno-whizzkids at the thinktank last week explained to me.

It was a curious experience, feeling at the same time incredibly out of the loop (freelance for years, small children, live in a field in the middle of nowhere), but also very grateful at being brought back into it. Using one recommended professional networking site, I have made contact with people I used to work with 15 years ago, people I haven’t seen for 20 years. And it´s fascinating to see what they´ve been doing, how they’ve progressed in their careers, and where they are now. At least that´s what I tell myself as I put the Bob the Builder DVD on again for the kids.

Our children will live in a different world to the one where we are, of that I am sure, but I hope they will find time to talk to each other in person too, and to write more than 140 characters at a time. Please don’t get me wrong, I am not in any way against all these advances - I love them, they´re useful and fun - but I have one foot in the world where we used to write letters and postcards, too (I still do put pen to paper, in fact).

I believe it´s about striking the right balance - I don´t think the inhabitants of those 600 villages in Andalucia need worry about getting addicted to Farmville or Four Square just yet, but there´s nothing like mulling over life with a friend over a cup of coffee and a tostada. Their lives will be enhanced by this new technological arrival, not overtaken by it - which is just the way it should be.

And talking of technological advances, we’re working on some very exciting ones here at andalucia.com, which will offer a host of new information (in addition to our unparalleled exisiting 5,000 pages), different media and, above all, involvement by you, our readers. That is where all this comes into play in an entirely positive way - making it easier, and more fun, for you to find out what you need to know - and sharing your knowledge, as you already are on myandalucia.com. Exciting times ahead - as they say, watch this space.

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Light in the Darkness

It has been incredibly heartening to see the positive stories coming out of last week’s earthquake in Haiti - the two-month-old baby revived by American doctors, the two-year-old girl pulled from the rubble of her nursery school by British firemen working without their normal equipment, another two-year-old boy rescued by Spanish firemen, and a little girl found by an Australian journalist.

Also, to see the impressive instantaneous response from normal Americans - government always give money, but it’s much, much more telling how deep the general public will dig into their pockets after such events. Using an ingenious system, they could pledge 10 US dollars to the emergency relief fund just by sending a text message from their mobile phone, to be taken off their bill, a service now also available in the UK (a more modest 5 pounds). US mobile users have so far donated an incredible ten million US dollars, while the Red Cross received a whopping 35 million dollars in less than 48 hours. Crisis, what crisis?

Also it has been fascinating, and again, very positive, to see how social and other media have been used - some Facebook groups listed names, addresses, and photos or descriptions, of missing loved ones, while CNN became another information point for those desperate for news, creating an area where families could be ‘reunited’ - upload photos of the missing, names and pictures of those found, and tributes to the less fortunate.

Another service gave a number for people in Haiti to text their location to, so they could be sent information on where to find help directly to their mobile phone.

Celebrities haven’t wasted any time in helping out. Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and other top tennis players played a charity match in Melbourne yesterday called ‘Hit for Haiti, while George Clooney is to host a telethon.

Watching the images on TV made me think, as these things always do, how lucky I am to live in a developed country, and not to have to worry about where my drinking water is coming from. Only 54 per cent of Haitians have access to safe drinking water.

Yes, back to my favourite topic again - that clear, life-giving liquid. Spain has sent a number of mobile water purifiers to Haiti, which can make 1000 litres safe in a matter of hours, and will be indispensible to the people of Haiti.

Sticking with the theme of water, both under the ground and falling from the sky (less so over the past few days in Andalucia, thankfully), climate change is never far from our minds these days - Europe’s environment ministers met in Seville last week, and vowed to stick to their guns over cuts in carbon dioxide emissions - 30 per cent by 2020. Let’s see if it really happens.

Wasn’t it wonderful to have such mild temperatures over the weekend? My son was running round the garden barefoot and without a jumper on - in mid-January that seems unthinkable (I´m a friolera, so I was wearing a fleece), especially after such low temperatures recently - and, of course, that controversial recent ’snow’.

The weather seems to come in extremes here in Andalucia - either it pours with torrential rain for weeks on end, or it´s incredibly mild for the time of year, or we’re hot hot, hot. Every May/June, as the thermometers shoot up, you hear people tutting to each other ‘¡Que calor’, as if it was the first time they’d ever experienced it. And of course, over the Christmas-New Year-Reyes break, it was ‘¡Que frio!’. So a bit of mild weather for the time of year is most welcome. More please!

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Snow in Sevilla

Hello, it’s Monday and for many people it’s the first real work day of the year. Yes, I know, there were some ‘dias laborables’ last week, but it’s hard to get back into things properly when Reyes chops your week in half. So this is our first full week, and it’s tough after all the fun of Christmas, New Year and Reyes.

So back to the grindstone, with a month of largely cold, wet weather to look forward to. It’s woolly hat, scarf, gloves – at least, first thing in the morning - hot soup, hot chocolate, hot fire weather. One of the better aspects of winter is when the countryside takes on that fairytale air – a dusting of icing sugar on the trees and roofs. Yes, I’m talking about snow. Yesterday the white stuff dominated TV and online news, as well as social networking sites. I have never heard so many people debating the difference between snow and sleet. Why? Because it is alleged to have snowed in Sevilla yesterday (Sunday 10 January). And why is that so important? Because the last time it snowed here was over half a century ago - on 2 February 1954 - so if it did, it’s a really big deal locally (the newspapers called it ”historic”, which I would call your typical Andalucian exagguration).

Noone will argue that it snowed in the province of Seville yesterday, as well as in all of Andalucia’s other seven provinces, while the cities of Jaen, Granada and Cordoba also experienced a white covering. In Sevilla province, the Sierra Norte gets snow most years – so it’s not unknown for roads to be closed, or even some towns even cut off, and the same is true for other mountainous areas of the region such as the Sierra Nevada, and the Sierras de Huelva and Ronda. But the big argument was whether the official account was correct – did it actually snow in Seville city itself?

It was METAR, the airport weather report service, which confirmed that it snowed in Seville city yesterday. But many people disputed this, arguing that it was sleet (defined as a mixture of snow and rain), not snow, that fell. The online discussions veered towards mostly sleet, with possibly a few flakes of snow thrown in momentarily, though some denied this vigorously. I’ve never seen people get so heated, if you’ll excuse the pun, about meteorological terminology.

In the towns of the Aljarafe, the high area to the east of the city where I live, there’s no doubt that it snowed – I know, because I saw it myself. Citizen journalism, whether you like it or not, provides us with instant photographic evidence on occasions such as these, and it was wonderful to see all those familiar local places popping up on news websites with their magical white dusting.

Reassuringly, Spanish trains couldn’t cope with the freezing temperatures, although they weren’t as pathetic as the Eurostar with its pre-Christmas all-night breakdowns. In various parts of Andalucia, trains and tracks froze – over 600 passengers had to be evacuated from four trains. And even today, with the thermometer creeping back up again, the AVE is still suffering delays – and the passengers can’t even use their no-more-than-20-minutes-late-or-your-money-back guarantee while the speed of the trains is limited to 160km/h.

For those of us still experiencing below-zero temperatures, as well as those lucky enough to get a bit of sun today (like me), just think on this: some parts of Europe will be experiencing Siberian temperatures of -45 in the next few days. Not so bad after all, is it?

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The Rain in Spain…

Hello, Happy New Year - and New Decade. I´m taking over from Brenda as chief blogger here on andalucia.com. Like Brenda, I am married to a Spaniard and have children, although I´m a relative newcomer compared to her, so you´ll have to let me off any cultural faux pas or other embarrassing shows of ignorance. In fact, please tell me what you think, good, bad or anywhere in between – I want to hear from you. After all, what´s a blog without feedback from its readers?

Unlike the lion´s share of British and other expats based here in Andalucia, I don´t live on the coast, so my blog may be less coast-centric than previously. That´s not to say I don´t like going to the beach – I do, it was one of the reasons I decided to move to this area – but I live inland, in the countryside, so my view may be different.

Anyway, as we start a new year – are they the ´´teenies´´? The ´´twenties´´? so much easier in nice, straightforward, say-it-as-it-is Spanish, isn´t it? – the normally reliable Andalucian sun seems to have done a runner. Most of us have been deluged with endless hours of rain over the Christmas break, with two weeks solid of downpours, causing road closures, collapsed houses and other disasters in the region. Hopefully you weren´t too inconvenienced by it – practically, if not psychologically. I am dependent on the sun for my mental well being, and a few cloudy days can leave me grouchy and desperate for my ´´Lorenzo´´, as they sometimes call the sun here in Spain. I am a firm believer in SAD.

Some friends visiting from Rome for New Year were dumbfounded – and visibly disappointed - by the downpours, gales and grey skies they experienced while staying here (bright sunshine back home). Apparently – I´m sucker for statistics – it was Andalucia´s wettest December in 60 years.

The positive side of all this is that our reservoirs are back up to a decent level, from being dangerously low. I don´t know about you, but I believe that global warming is a real and serious threat, so droughts scare the living daylights me. So, good news: Andalucia´s reservoirs are now at 60 per cent, compared to 35 this time last year. Cadiz hit the jackpot, with a staggering 362 litres per square metre, providing enough water for the next four years, while other regions should be good for at least the next year. Phew! I try my best not to use too much water, but with two small children and a husband with a mucky job, my washing machine is rarely out of use (on the eco setting, naturally).

That´s it for now – may the Reyes Magos bring you lots of lovely goodies (though my kids have had the most fun so far playing in a large cardboard box), and here´s hoping the Cabalgatas don´t get washed away – forecast doesn´t look great. Fingers crossed.

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Hope for 2010

Doesn’t that sound optimistic? Here we are in the midst of one of the deepest economic crisis ever and I’m talking about hope for 2010. And no, I’m not planning to go into politics this year!

In fact, as I write my last entry for the Andalucia.com blog (I’ll be handing over the baton to a new blogger as of next week), I can’t help thinking about an uplifting article I read in Málaga’s “Diario Sur” newspaper just a few weeks ago. Titled “Esos Malos Oportunos” (These Opportune Misfortunes) it looked at all the good things we can get from tough times. The author pointed out that we can only really appreciate the good in life after we’ve faced difficulties. And that the strongest, most amazing people are those who have emerged intact after enduring great suffering.

Oh yeah, I know you’ve heard it all before: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” and the like. However, I think it’s worth it to reflect on just how much hard times help us to refine our priorities and especially to learn about how much we actually need in order to live well.

Last year I read a report about how economic crises affect our health. Would you believe that data shows that people actually enjoy better health during times like these? Studies in the United States and Latin America showed that during economic downturns when people were losing their jobs and money was tight, mortality rates steadily dropped – and then rose again as the economy began to recover. Sounds amazing, but researchers concluded that a slower pace of life and better quality, home cooked food could have something to do with it.

But beyond physical health is the chance to improve our mental and spiritual health. Mystics around the world and throughout time have urged us to strip away all of our materialistic urges and cravings, to get down to the bare basics and really know the essence of life. That type of living is becoming more of a reality for many of us as we use, re-use and then “re-cycle” before heading out to “re-place” anything. The value of what is rises as we let go of the frenzied craving to buy, buy, buy that our society has so much encouraged.

And that’s why I look towards 2010 as a Year of Hope. If we so choose, this can be a year of growth and evolution. This can be the year when we actually slow down enough to see and appreciate all that we have – especially the relationships we have in our life.

Cheers!

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Saint Nicholas or Three Kings?

Every year it’s the same thing. Because I’m fully immersed in Spanish culture I have to go through this same old debate once again: Santa or “Reyes Magos”? And you might be surprised to learn just how strongly many Spanish families feel about keeping Santa out of Spain.

Many, many families I know are staunch supporters of the Three Kings. As thus, they bar their doors to Santa Claus. In my opinion, this simply means the kids have to wait until the day before the end of Christmas break to get their presents. As a parent, that makes absolutely no sense to me because I feel the gifts my kids get at the beginning of the season make the holidays just that much more fun (and easy for me as a mother!).

Still, I understand that this is not about convenience but rather about defending one of the last bastions of Spanish culture against the invasion of Hollywood – for example. At least that’s how my Spanish friends paint it up. And I can see they have a point.

When I moved to Spain I remember how important it was for me to pass on my traditions to my kids. Of special importance to me was the famous Christmas stocking from Santa. Much to my dismay there was little chance for Santa to leave his gifts in the midst of all the chaotic Spanish family celebrations. One year I managed to arrange everything just right so Santa could have the stockings appear in the morning before all the cousins arrived to spoil the surprise. But wouldn’t you know it, someone decided to leave their children overnight on Christmas Eve and – with the stores closed so it was too late to arrange for Santa to make a last minute trip – it was once again impossible to carry it off… Once again I realised that there was only room for the Three Kings in the Spanish family celebrations and that my dear Saint Nick would have a rough time of it as he continued trying to compete for a place in my children’s hearts.

So, I understand how my Spanish friends feel when Santa is infringing on their holiday traditions. They’re always reminding me of their fond memories of the Three Kings (just like I have mine of Santa Claus) and adamantly pledging to defend this tradition to the end of their days… Funny how nostalgic childhood memories can affect us for life!

My message this week then is simply to beware. If you’re a Santa fan and you encounter a Three King’s supporter, remember there’s some bad blood there. You’re advised to keep a lid on your enthusiasm for jolly old Saint Nick and – if you really want to appear integrated – show a bit of respect for the Kings.

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Save Money this Christmas!

Now that I have your attention… But isn’t that what’s on everyone’s mind this holiday season? And saving money during the holiday season is really just a matter being creative. When you think about it, the things that really make the Christmas season special don’t have to be expensive – and might even be more meaningful if they’re not.

One of the things that most surprised me when I moved to Spain was a very low emphasis on Christmas gifts compared to the material culture I had left behind. It was hard to get used to at first, but over the years I’ve come to see just how nice it can be to minimise consumerism. Not only do you feel less stressed, but gradually you learn to emphasise other aspects such as the chance to build family ties or even reduce the huge impact a consumer-oriented Christmas has on the environment.

As a foreigner living in Spain I feel I save tons of money on food at Christmas simply because the price of a Spaniard’s favourite holiday ingredients goes up while my choices stay the same. Keep an eye on the news (great way to practice your Spanish) and you can see for yourself how the price of shellfish, “jamón serrano” and so many other delicacies goes through the roof. All it takes it to dress up a free range chicken instead of a turkey and you’ve cut costs right there. Serve it up with your favourite Christmas pudding with candle light and the sound of carols wafting in the background and you’ve got a special occasion.

A booming economy encouraged many people to make travel a part of the Christmas season. Now, with the steep financial downturn, we have to ask ourselves: if people have travelled from across the globe to enjoy the wonders of Andalucia, why would we need to enjoy our holidays anywhere else? The weather is ideal and we have charming day trips just waiting for us on all sides.

Finally, saving money really translates into slowing down. And slowing down is the number one way to enjoy life more. So, if the “crisis” is affecting your pocket book this season, try to relax, go with the flow. Forget about what you don’t have and can’t afford and enjoy what you’ve got.

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‘Tis the Season…

To be stressed out?
It’s not too early to start thinking about the stress Christmas can cause in many families. Every year we read about how domestic violence statistics rise at this time of the year due to the stresses of the season. But we don’t have to talk about extremes of violence to agree that a reduction in stress levels could be good for everyone.

Over the years I’ve noticed how some Spanish families I know have taken measures to make the season more relaxing for everyone – including the matriarch who so often gets overloaded with the task of entertaining one crowd after another. When I was a student living with a family in Alicante, I recall how my host mother put her foot down ever year after a wild Christmas Eve cooking for the whole clan. The family didn’t have a lot of money, but Christmas Day dinner was held at a restaurant – one with a simple, low-cost “menu del día”. And it worked just fine.

Another family I know is tired of trying to fit three generations composed of 12 adults and about 17 grandchildren (including several toddlers and babies) into a flat. So they’ve created a new tradition: pack everyone up and spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at a rural getaway that houses the whole tribe and serves a hearty, simple fare. They simply bring their own sweets and gifts and settle in to enjoy one another’s company.

There must be a million different ways we can reduce stress during the holidays, mostly by thinking out of the box. The key is to start right now – yes, right now at the beginning of December – to identify hot spots and come up with ideas for keeping things cool, refreshing and fun.

So, get busy!

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