Festa del Pi

Festa del Pi ('festival of the pine' in Catalan) is a 500-year-old Christmas tradition known only in the small Spanish village of Centelles.

It begins with a sunrise gathering of Barretinas (in red/black sock hats) for wine, grilled sausage, and black powder gunfire. A very large pine tree (selected the previous year) is hand cut, loaded on an ox cart (standing!), and hauled a couple of miles to the village center. At the cathedral it is walked up the steps, danced (spun around) with the crew master aboard, then wiggled into the church. Once inside, it is suspended upside-down from the ceiling, decorated with cookies and apples, then hauled upward while the congregation sings a hymn to the Virgin Mary of Centelles.

This film was shot in Dec 2006. This year (2010) our tree hangs upside down in Houston. Merry Christmas.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Christmas
• Spain
• Catalonia
• Travel