Plenty of rude people in Spain you could run across too, I assure you! (There are a quite a few people in Catalonia who will militantly refuse to speak to you in Spanish as they regard their native language as being Catalan)

If you're looking to do some shopping and take andvantage of any winter sales, Spain might not be the best choice for you.

Christmas in Spain is a family orientated affair, a highlight would be the misa del gallo late on Christmas Eve, but for children, the real celebrations happen on the evening of the 5th January and those festivities are geared solely towards them. Typically, Sales don't start until the 6th.

Christmas is a three pronged affair in Spain, with lots of exhaustion amongst the general population between these peaks. I can't imagine what it would be like to go there at this time of the year without being involved in it all.

Will you be leaving Europe before the 6th January? If not I would certainly suggest you all seeing the 3 Kings Day parades in your choice of Spanish city. Try not to travel anywhere on that evening though.