El Poble Nou de Benitatxell is preparing to welcome the magic of Christmas in a very special, open and participatory way. The Councillorship of Festivities has prepared an intense Christmas programme with activities designed for the whole family, especially for the youngest ones.
The starting signal will be given on Saturday, December 6th, with the “lighting up” of the Christmas lights. Accompanied by music from the Colla La Llebetjà, the tree will be inaugurated at the Oratorio square; Christmas lights will illuminate the Town Hall, and on Llebeig Street, the inauguration of the local artist Salvador Ginestar’s nativity scene recreation, which will incorporate new spaces and pieces, will be celebrated with carols from the Parish Choir, the Children’s Choir and the Colleta.
On Sunday 7th, there will be an afternoon of Christmas carols performed by Christian Fellowship, while the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir will give its annual concert on Wednesday 10th.
The programme will really get going on Saturday 20th with the Christmas sweets workshop and the family activity “The Magic of Christmas”, followed on Sunday 21st by one of the star events: the legendary Christmas Market. The event will feature games for the whole family to enjoy, music from the Music School’s Children’s Band, Christmas stalls selling food, decorations, handmade products, etc., and a visit from the beloved burreta de Nadal, a true symbol of Christmas in town. In addition, as a new feature, Santa Claus’ house will be inaugurated at the Church Square, where he will stay on December 24th before beginning his journey back to the North Pole.
On Tuesday 23rd, in the morning there will be an intergenerational Christmas decoration workshop at the Library and, in the afternoon, the Santa María Magdalena school gym will host Sport X Gaming, with Play Station and Nintendo games, virtual reality, hockey, indoor football, arcade machines and lots more. There will also be a children’s show, “El gran taller de la Navidad” (The Great Christmas Workshop), in the tent at the car park on Valencia Avenue.
On Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24th, El Poble Nou de Benitatxell will once again open the doors of Santa’s house so that young and old alike can visit him, have their photo taken and enjoy an afternoon full of fantasy. There will be children’s workshops and Christmas music with the special participation of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell’s Music Band. At midnight, Midnight Mass will be celebrated.
On Saturday 27th, “El roscó” race organised by Club Multiesport Benitatxell will take place. It will start at 5.30 pm at the car park on Valencia Avenue with a race for children, and at 6 pm it will be the turn of the adults. There will be prizes for the best group and individual costumes and a small snack for the participants.
On Sunday 28th, the church will host the parish Christmas carol festival “Canta a la Navidad” (Sing to Christmas), and from Monday December 29th there will be activities for children in the tent set up at the car park on Valencia Avenue. Highlights include the Christmas park with inflatables, face painting, balloon modelling, workshops, etc. (Monday 29th), the “Cantando a la Navidad” concert by Payasa Mofly and her puppet companions (Tuesday 30th), the Aladdin musical (Friday 2nd January) and the magical afternoon of bubbles (Saturday 4th).
The magical afternoon of bubbles will feature the show “The Land of Stories and Bubbles” and, at the end, attendees will be able to experience being inside a giant soap bubble. There will also be a giant bubble workshop, in which children will be the real stars, creating incredible bubbles themselves that will fill the air with magic and joy.
For the fifth year in a row, and given its success every year, the Marinae Ensemble chamber orchestra’s New Year’s Concert will be held on Thursday January 1st. It will take place at 6:00 pm at Santa María Magdalena Church.
The announcement of the arrival of the Three Wise Men and the collection of letters will delight the youngest residents on Saturday, January 3rd. At 6:00 pm, the messenger of Their Majesties is scheduled to arrive at Jaime Llobell Oratory to collect all the letters that the children have written. He will be accompanied by Colla La Llebetjà and Grup de Danses Morro Falquí. In addition, there will be hot chocolate and snacks at affordable prices provided by the Associació de Dones (Women’s Association).
Finally, Monday, January 5th will be one of the most special days of the year for the children of the municipality. From 6 pm, the Three Wise Men will arrive at the tent at the car park on Valencia Avenue to hand out the gifts that the children have been eagerly awaiting. The Three Wise Men Mass on Tuesday 6th, at 6 pm in the church, will bring the festivities to a close with the presentation of gifts to the Child Jesus and the return of their majesties to the East.