How To Celebrate Christmas (Spanish-style!)

Fancy giving Christmas a bit of a boost this year? Serve up some delicious Spanish food and tipples to get the party started...

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Sophisticated, stylish, fun - why wouldn't we look to the Iberian Peninsula for some dinner party inspiration? 'Tis the season to be jolly and what's got us going is Freixenet's Cordon Negro - the premium sparkling wine made from the best grapes in the Penedés region in Catalonia. This year, we're ditching the Brussels sprouts for a more sophisticated offering, bringing the flavours of Spain to the table for family and friends to enjoy - and you can too! In Spain, La Noche Buena (the Good Night is the big event and it happens on the 24th, so take note and kick off the celebrations a little earlier this year. Here are a few simple rules that'll help you host your very own Spanish-inspired Christmas Eve soirée... BRING THE BUBBLY OUT EARLY Don't even think about doing mulled wine. For Spaniards, cava is king at Christmas so hand guests a glass of Freixenet's Cordon Rosado on arrival. Two Spanish red grapes - Trepat and Garnacha - give this sweet pink sparkler its subtle hue. Save the Cordon Negro for the main event - its gorgeous notes of lemon, pear and peach will go with each one of the six or more courses you'll serve for dinner. That's right, we said six. DON'T DISPENSE WITH THE TURKEY You'll probably start with an escudella, a hearty stew-soup, then have a salad, followed by tapas. Fret not, turkey will make an appearance as Pavo Trufado de Navidad - or Christmas Turkey with Truffles - which is divine. Christmas dinner isn't served until the clock strikes midnight - Spaniards eat late, drink late and celebrate late.

TAKE A LITTLE BREAK Now, do what the Spanish do after dinner - that's sobremesa which literally means sitting at the mesa (table), relaxing and chatting. It's also the perfect opportunity to treat everyone to a special cava cocktail. Beat 2cl blackberry liqueur and 4cl strawberry purée in a shaker for 10 seconds. Pour into a glass, add 12cl of Cordon Negro, stir and finish with a red Maraschino cherry on top.

Share your Spanish Christmas exploits at #befreixenet and visit freixenet.co.uk for more information or go to@FreixenetUK