Celebrate Easter in Catalonia with Palms and Palmones!
When Easter arrives in Catalunya it is a tradition for godmothers to give their godchildren the palm or palmon.
The Barcelona Wink team would like to explain the Catalan culture and its traditions so if you and your family come you can take part in the tradition! It Is a good way to get to know the city and its people better during your stay in Barcelona with children.
The Palm and the Palmon
The Palm and Palmon are way of passing or giving a blessing to a loved one on Palm Sunday. The celebration is a reminder of the birth of Jesus in Jerusalem with a multitude of olive branches and palm fronds.
The Palms are made from palm fronds, and are handcrafted with intricate braids. Children have a lot of fun showing off their palms and decorations to others. The palms can have tapes, ribbons, and candy hanging as sugar rosaries for decoration.
One of the oldest fairs of Palms is in the Plaza of the Holy Family of Barcelona. In fact, it was a source of inspiration for Antoni Gaudí. The tradition is reflected on the building where an oasis of palm trees lines lies.
The Viaplana family is an artisan family that specialized in the “white palm” of Sunday of Palms. Their technique and knowledge has been acquired and passed down from generation to generation. They have an online shop where you can buy their wonderful palms for the special day.
The Easter Mona
Following the Catalan tradition of Holy Week, the Godfather is to bring his godson an Easter Mona. The Easter Mona is a sponge cake adorned with feathers and eggs or chocolate figurines. This custom celebrates Lent and the end of fasting. It is meant to celebrate family and holiday!
Nowadays the decorations and the themes of the monas are really creative and unique. They are decorated with the children’s characters or protagonists of the last films that are popular. This holiday is very similar to how the US builds gingerbread houses during Christmas time!
In Barcelona, Christian Escribà is one of the best mona artists. He is the fourth generation of the Escribà family to be a master in creating monas. His motto is to excite, surprise, and create unique and unrepeatable moments. His chocolate sculptures are amazing!
We highly recommend a visit to the shop where you will enjoy their wonderful creations!
Now you know a little better the Catalan traditions of Easter, the palms, the spans and the monas.
We wish your family a happy stay in Barcelona.
