Spanish customs: meeting etiquette The Spanish meeting etiquette generally takes three ways: handshake, kiss and hug. The two people shake hands and greet each other when they meet for the first time. If the other party does not mean to shake hands, they can nod and say “hello”.

When visiting Spain, whether it is real-world friends, friends or relatives, it must be agreed in advance. It is a rude act to rush to the host’s house or office without prior greeting.

Spain has a habit of going to bed late and getting up late. It is best for guests to visit after 10 am and 2 pm. Guests usually bring some gifts. A bottle of wine, a box of snacks, or a bouquet of flowers can be sent.

Guests generally do not arrive on time, mostly 10 to 15 minutes late. If you are too late, it is a faux pas. Arriving too early will catch the host off guard.

Under more formal circumstances, Spaniards have the habit of arranging seating during meals. Usually the host and his wife sit face to face at both ends of the table, and the rest of the guests sit on either side. It is faux pas to leave immediately after the meal, and it is faux pas to stay too long. Spaniards are taboo to send dahlias and chrysanthemums, and only give chrysanthemums at funerals.

The delivery time is also exquisite. Flowers are generally not sent on the 13th of each month, and 13 flowers are not sent when sending flowers, because the number “13” is unlucky in the hearts of Spaniards.

What are the customs and taboos of Spain?

Spain is a country with a long history and splendid culture. 96% of the residents believe in Catholicism. Spaniards are warm, romantic, unrestrained, hospitable and have a good sense of humor. They pay attention to the quality of life, love parties, chat, and are particularly fascinated by nightlife, and often visit bars, cafes and restaurants.

Spaniards have a unique schedule: lunch is generally from 14:00-16:00, and dinner is generally from 21:00-23:00. Spaniards have a wide range of hobbies. They like to travel, love outdoor activities, and have a special liking for sports such as football, mountaineering, and cycling. Spain is famous for its bullfighting and flamenco dance. Spaniards have the habit of giving gifts to each other before Christmas. Gifts are very focused on packaging and have the habit of unpacking and appreciating them in person. Spaniards generally like to be late for appointments, especially when invited to banquets. There is generally no persuasion of alcohol at the table, nor the habit of toasting each other. Spain has a variety of festivals, about 200 each year. In addition to some important traditional festivals such as National Day, New Year’s Day, Christmas, Easter, Holy Week, etc., each region has its own program with strong local colors.

Holidays and weekends, I like family reunions and do not want to receive guests.

The pomegranate is the national flower of Spain. In formal social situations, Spaniards usually wear conservative-style suits, white shirts, and ties.

They like black, so they usually wear black leather shoes.

Spanish women have the custom of wearing earrings when they go out, otherwise they will be seen as unclothed and ridiculed. In addition, in some parts of Spain, women like to wrap captured fireflies in tulle.

Manners: Local women have “fan language”, such as when a woman opens a fan and covers the lower part of her face, which means: I love you, do you like me? If you open it for a while and close it for a while, it means: I miss you very much.

Therefore, women who are new to Spain, if they do not know the fan language, it is best not to use a fan.

Meeting etiquette: Spaniards usually shake hands and kiss when meeting guests in formal social situations. When meeting real-world friends, boyfriends often hug each other tightly. Spaniards’ names often have three or four stanzas, the first two stanzas are their own name, the penultimate stanzas are their father’s surname, and the last stanzas are their mother’s surname. Usually the father’s surname is called orally.

Dining etiquette: Spaniards’ staple food is mainly pasta, and they also eat rice. They like hot and sour food. Generally, they do not eat too greasy and salty dishes.

Breakfast is customary to eat sour milk, fruit, lunch and dinner usually drink beer, wine or brandy, after meals drink coffee and eat fruit.

Funeral Etiquette: Spanish Basque weddings follow a set of traditional customs.

People are used to think that Tuesday is an “auspicious day”, so weddings are generally held on this day.

The ceremony should be held in the church according to the rituals stipulated by the Catholic Church. Then there will be banquets and dances. There are many festivals in Spain, such as Carnival, Cookery Festival, Easter, etc. In memory of the famous Spanish writer Cervantes, he is commemorated every April 23.

Business etiquette: Spaniards value credibility and always try their best to fulfill signed contracts. Even if it is later found that there is something unfavorable to them in the contract, they are reluctant to publicly admit their fault.

If the other party can help them in good faith in this situation, it will win the respect and friendship of the Spaniards. Spaniards only keep the time strictly when participating in bullfighting activities, but guests should be punctual, and even if the other party arrives late, don’t blame them.

Travel etiquette: Spaniards are cheerful, warm, but easy to get excited. Sometimes it is normal to have quarrels, and they are used to it. When a Spaniard eats, he usually politely invites people around him to share with him, but this is only a ceremonial gesture. Don’t accept it rashly, otherwise it will be regarded as a lack of education by them.

Main taboos: In Spain, do not criticize bullfighting activities. If you do not know the situation, it is best not to express any opinions on bullfighting activities. When you visit the Spanish home, you can send flowers. They love pomegranate flowers the most. Flamenco refers to the music and dance of the Gypsies (also known as flamenco people) in the Andalusian region of Spain.

It is derived from the folk songs of Gypsies, Andalusia, Arabs and Spanish Jews.

According to some scholars, it is also derived from Byzantine and Indian religious chants. The essence of flamenco is its songs, often backing tracks with guitar music and performing impromptu dances. This kind of music and dance is divided into three categories: deep or serious, with a very melancholy tone, describing death, pain, despair or religious beliefs; intermediate, not very deep but equally moving, often with oriental tones; and relaxed, describing love, country life and joy. From the 19th century, gypsies began to dance in cafes and made a career out of it. Therefore, the word flamenco was first used to refer to the music and dance of their time. With the increase in public performances and the pressure of the commercial stage, rehearsed shows replaced flamenco’s original entertaining performances. Bullfighting The Spanish bullfight has a long history. Neolithic wall paintings found in the Aldamira cave show people fighting with bulls. It is said that Julius Caesar of ancient Rome, who once ruled Spain, rode a horse to fight bulls. For about 600 years, bullfighting has been the exclusive project of the Spanish aristocracy to show their bravery. In the 18th century, when the first king of the Bourbon Dynasty ruled Spain, Felipe V, considered bullfighting too dangerous and would harm the lives of members of the royal family, and banned the nobility from playing bullfighting, this traditional noble sport came from the palace to the people. Spanish bullfighting uses the fierce North African bull. A special training ground is responsible for the purity of the cattle. Generally, it can be used after four or five years of training. Bullfights are usually held in the afternoon, with three bullfighters fighting six cattle each. Bullfights are one of the few events in Spain that start on time. If you arrive late, you must wait until a bull has finished fighting before entering.