圣诞市场提振巴塞罗那经济

 　　BARCELONA, Spain, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Christmas markets in Barcelona resist the economic crisis despite the negative impact of the economic downturn, their organizers told Xinhua.

　　In Barcelona there are two main Christmas markets, one in the Cathedral Square, Santa Lucia, and the other one next to the famous Temple of the Sagrada Familia, designed by the well-known architect Antoni Gaudi.
　　"The crisis has affected 1 us, as well as the weather", Lluis Mestre, vice 2 president of the Association of Santa Lucia Market, the oldest one in the world, told Xinhua.
　　At the Santa Lucia market, which dates back from 1786, there are 288 stands where cribs and figures are sold, also all kinds of vegetation (including Christmas trees), crafts and musical instruments. This year it was opened on Nov. 28 and since then, it has rained several days in Barcelona, a fact that decreases the number of visitors.
　　Christmas markets help boost economy in Barcelona amid crisis
　　"This year it is expected a drop of 10 or 15 percent in sales", Mestre said, adding that despite the losses caused by the crisis the historical tradition of Santa Lucia market will not vanish.
　　The origin of this market dates back to Carlos III, Spanish monarch 3 between 1759 and 1788. He introduced the crib in Spain and noble people from Barcelona wanted one, needing artisans who modeled figures and people who brought mountain moss 4 and other shrubs 5 for the cribs, Mestre told.
　　"Nowadays the fair is not as traditional as it was before", Mestre said, adding that currently many materials and elements are imported from China.
　　The same happens at the Sagrada Familia market, where much of the elements come from China. "Much of what we have here is from China," Carlos Fernandez, president of the decorations and cribs sector 6 at the Sagrada Familia market confirmed.
　　From Fernandez's point of view "the economic crisis raged", but he is optimistic. He believes that they will sell this year the same as last year, "which is a plus because we have spent years selling less".
　　He recognized that the situation would not be probably like before, but "historically, there have been more crisis (...) but this did not mean that there were no shops, culture ... etc."
　　This year visitors could enjoy around 100 stands at the Sagrada Familia market, almost 50 percent less than about seven years ago, when some 220 stands gathered there. The market is organized in four sectors 7: ornaments 8 and cribs, natural items, gift items and food.
　　The latter two sectors make the difference between the market of Sagrada Familia and Santa Lucia, since in the latter no food stalls or gift items are sold. Another difference that its organizers pointed 9 out is that the market is more spacious 10 and people can walk circularly around it.
　　The Sagrada Familia market began in the 60s, Maite Serra told Xinhua. There were so many stands at the Santa Lucia market that some of them had to move to Sagrada Familia. Afterwards the market was born.
　　Serra took part in the fair since she was 14, she was treasurer 11 and later the main organizer for over 14 years. As an experienced woman who worked at the market for almost her whole life, she told Xinhua that "the market started having problems about 10 years ago, but three years ago we noticed it even more." However, she ensured that "tradition will not be lost."
　　The market is not a simple market where you shop, it entails 12 a family tradition. Visitors enjoy a family walk choosing Christmas decorations for their houses.
　　The two markets finish on Tuesday, facing the crisis one year more and expecting a strong economic recovery for next Christmas. Many families take advantage of the sales of the last day for shopping as they may find interesting discounts on some items.