The Spanish Christmas Goodbye

For the first time in their lives, Consuelo Serrano’s kids won’t get a visit from Santa Claus.

As Spain grew faster than the region over the last decade, Serrano and millions like her handed out gifts at Christmas too. Now, she’s the sole breadwinner as the nation’s jobless rate soared to the euro area’s highest.

Spanish holiday spending will drop 9.1 percent this season, according to Deloitte, more than the 6.3 percent decline forecast for western Europe.

www.bloomberg.com...

Is that story depressing or what? I wish that I was a rich Billionaire philanthropist, because I would love nothing more than to help such families, especially on Christmas.

reply to post by eldard


I should be pointed out, before Spain collapsed, Spain was the Euro Zone's largest Green Technology producer, and had the fastest Eco industry growth in the World.

The Spanish government estimates for every Green job created, almost 3 were lost.

Is our Government looking at what happens when you create a massive non wealth producing industry to take you out of a recession? Of course not..

Originally posted by eldard

For the first time in their lives, Consuelo Serrano’s kids won’t get a visit from Santa Claus.

As Spain grew faster than the region over the last decade, Serrano and millions like her handed out gifts at Christmas too. Now, she’s the sole breadwinner as the nation’s jobless rate soared to the euro area’s highest.

Spanish holiday spending will drop 9.1 percent this season, according to Deloitte, more than the 6.3 percent decline forecast for western Europe.

www.bloomberg.com...

It´s very, very grim here and even TV commercials are telling kids that Santa will probably only leave one present this year because of the credit crunch.

Official unemployment figures are almost 20% but they don´t include self-employed (autonomo), part-time workers or those that were on temporary contracts. The reality is much worse especially as those that were self-employed can´t claim any government help at all.

Everywhere we go, on the Costa del Sol (Malaga), there are more and more empty buildings - residential new builds that have never sold, people desperately trying to sell existing homes at very low prices, shops closing down, new commerical areas that are just standing empty.

The CdS has always been a year round destination because of the climate and numerous golf courses but for the first time many hotels are considering closing for winter due to low or no bookings.

People are offering to do manual labour work for just 3.00 euros an hour (cash)!! They just want to be able to buy food for the day to feed their families. Spanish people are closing ranks now and helping each other out with a little work here and there but us foreigners are excluded and many are leaving every day because they have no choice because no work means no money. We´re hanging in by a thread but seriously considering leaving as soon as our daughter finishes her final exams. We´ve been here 6 years and my youngest has lived more than half his life here - it´s home but it is getting harder and harder to make ends meet.

Banks are starting foreclosure after ONE late payment. No re-negotiating mortgages - they´re just going straight for the kill which is devaluing properties more and more because so many can be purchased at auction for half price. Not that even auction properties are selling.

Friends of ours have been here for 30 years and I was shocked to find that even they are leaving. Their actual words were that they´re "getting out while they still can" and that has really worried me. A couple of other people have told us they plan to try and ride it out because when things turn round the good times will roll again but how long is that likely to be?! Seriously, the whole area relies on tourism and the building trade and both of those markets are dead at the moment with no signs of any life coming back anytime soon.

Sorry for the long post..... those TV commercials aimed at the kids are so sad. My own kids have offered to lend us their savings if it means we can stay here and they don´t have to leave their friends. They don´t realise that a few hundred euros won´t last too long. So sad and definitely not going to be a merry Christmas for most people living in Spain.

[edit on 15-12-2009 by Maya00a]

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by eldard

 

I should be pointed out, before Spain collapsed, Spain was the Euro Zone's largest Green Technology producer, and had the fastest Eco industry growth in the World.

The Spanish government estimates for every Green job created, almost 3 were lost.

Is our Government looking at what happens when you create a massive non wealth producing industry to take you out of a recession? Of course not..

I believe Spain actually beat it´s own target that they´d set to originally achieve by 2010. Any new builds or reforming has to include solar power, where we live. There are huge wind tubines all over the inland landscape too. Hasn´t created jobs though and right now jobs are needed more than anything - lots of desperate people around here offering to work for just 3 euros an hour! 18 months ago two hundred a day was the norm.

reply to post by Maya00a


Spain's troubles began immediately after the start of the crisis in 2008. Are you the internet cafe owner who posted here last year?

Originally posted by eldard
reply to post by Maya00a

 

Spain's troubles began immediately after the start of the crisis in 2008. Are you the internet cafe owner who posted here last year?

No, I´ve never had an internet cafe but used to frequent them often when we first moved here because even then most houses didn´t have access to a phoneline or internet! Now there´s just one internet cafe in the city we live in (we´re about 30 minutes inland from the coastal area) and the majority of homes have landlines and ADSL.

Spain moved forwards in leaps and bounds over the past 5 or 6 years so it´s very sad to see it all coming to a drastic end now. At least my family and other ex-pats have the option to leave but most of the Spanish citizens don´t so we can´t really blame them for closing ranks and not sharing the little work available, with us.