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Traditionally every year on 24th December, Christmas Eve, Onil celebrates the Nit dels Fatxos (Night of the Fatxos), which are a kind of torch made artisanally by all the Colivencs, the fatxos are hand made with dry and green esparto grass gathered a few days before Christmas Eve in the Serra d'Onil. The dry esparto or the lower part of the esparto field (totxera) is called totxa, which is the essential component of the fatxo, the green esparto is used to tie the fatxo and to complete it with a plait like a rope which can be held in order to be able to light the dry esparto end and to wave the fatxo around until it goes out. This centenary tradition began as a pagan celebration, in which our shepherd ancestors made fatxos in the Sierra of Onil in order to provide light and to warm up their homes during the cold months, later this pagan celebration turned into the Christian religious feast in Onil, with the fire as a purifying element, where each year the fatxos are swung round like windmills as the beginning of Christmas with the symbolism of giving warmth to the Baby Jesus or Jesuset. The Festa de la Nit dels Fatxos (Feast of the Night of the Fatxos) is the starting point of Christmas in Onil given that els colivencs (people of Onil) roden fatxos (twirl fatxos) through all the streets of the Villa de Onil. In the square known as Plaza Mayor a fatxo contest is held with different prizes.

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Start date

24/12/2023

Ending date

24/12/2023