Spanish Holidays Study Guide
la Tomatina
It happens the last Wednesday of August but the date changes every year. It takes place in Buñol, Valencia in the east of Spain. The party starts with "the soap stick", a pole enlarged with a ham on top. When someone climbs the stick and reaches the ham, a signal is given to start the battle of tomatoes. The participants throw away the tomatoes. Many people participate in the Tomatina to have fun. Last Wednesday in August
la Navidad
It is December 25. It is celebrated in all Spanish-speaking countries. Continue the celebrations of Christmas Eve. It is a celebration of the family. They go to Midnight Mass and then return home to celebrate more. Families meet in the homes of their relatives. They have dinner after the mass. Sometimes they open the gifts. December 25
el Día de los Reyes Magos
Es el 6 de enero. También se llama el Día de los Reyes o la Epifanía. Unas semanas antes de este día, los niños les escriben cartas a los Reyes Magos pidiendo los regalos que quieren. Durante el día del cinco de enero hay desfiles con carrozas que llevan las figuras que representan los tres Reyes Magos, Gaspar, Baltasar, y Melchor. La noche del cinco de enero, antes de acostarse, los niños llenan sus zapatos con paja, heno o hierba para los camellos de los Reyes y los ponen debajo de su cama, a la puerta de la casa o delante de la chimenea. La mañana del seis de enero, los niños reciben los regalos de los Reyes. Si no se portaban bien durante el año, los Reyes sólo iban a llenar sus zapatos con el carbón. Es una costumbre comer la Rosca de Reyes o el Roscón de Reyes, un pan dulce que contiene una figura del bebé Jesús dentro del postre. Es una parte de la temporada navideña. January 6th
la Pascua
It is the Sunday of Holy Week. It is also called Easter Sunday or Easter. It is celebrated in all Spanish-speaking countries. It is an important celebration that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. The custom varies by country, but people meet with the family and many go to church for religious celebrations. Sometimes there are special processions. During the Mass light the Paschal Candle, a special candle to mark the Passover. Sometimes, especially in Mexico, they make shells to celebrate the day. The shells are full of confetti, small toys or flour. They throw or crush the shells on the other's head.
la Nochebuena
It's December 24. It is celebrated in all Spanish-speaking countries but the celebration is different in several countries. They make a birth or a manger. They decorate their houses with lanterns, balloons and piñatas. They dance and sing Christmas carols during the night of the celebration. They eat the Christmas Eve dinner. At midnight they attend the Mass of Gallo. December 24
la Nochevieja
It's December 31st. It is celebrated in all Spanish-speaking countries, but it is called the New Year's Eve in Latin America. In Spain many people gather at the Puerta del Sol, a huge square in the center of Madrid, in front of the Royal Post Office. There is a large bell with the official clock that signals the arrival of midnight and the New Year. At this moment people eat twelve grapes, one grape with each one of the chimes. For each grape a person asks for a wish, that is why they are called "the twelve grapes of happiness". There is a custom of wearing red or yellow underwear that someone else gives as a gift. The Spaniards eat nougat and marzipan, and they drink the cava, a special drink like champagne. The customs for New Year's Eve vary in different countries. December 31
la Tamborrada
It's January 20. It is celebrated in the city of San Sebastián (Donastia) in the Basque Country (Euskadi) in the north of Spain. The celebration begins at midnight on January 19 in the Plaza de la Constitución when the flag of the city is raised. There are large parades in the streets and the musicians play drums and barrels as they walk the streets. They dress in costumes like soldiers or cooks. Frequently the clothes are blue, red and white. January 20
la fiesta de San Pedro
It's June 29. It is celebrated in Alsasua, a city in Navarra, Spain. It is close to the Basque Country, that is why Basque is spoken in Alsasua. The day remembers San Pedro with parades in the morning. The musicians play the instruments (the txistu or the tamboril). People go to church for a special Mass in Spanish and Basque. The church is rustic and small. Afterwards, they make a big picnic and serve the txistorra, a sausage typical of the Basque Country. They play music and dance folk dances. He also wears special clothing that includes a white shirt, white pants, a red beret, a red belt and a red handkerchief. June 29
el Día de los Muertos
It's November 2nd. It is also called the Day of the Dead. It is celebrated in all the Spanish-speaking countries, but the most famous and famous celebration happens in Mexico. They go to the cemeteries to make the offerings to honor the dead. They prepare and eat the bread of the dead, the sweets in the form of skeletons and skulls, and the dead man's favorite dish. They create the offerings with the photos of the dead man, the bread, the flowers, and the fruits. They visit tombs, eat, dance and sing in cemeteries, or graveyards. There are parades and people wear costumes that represent skulls and skeletons (calacas). They also make altars in the houses. November 2nd
el Día de la Raza
It's October 12. It is also called the Day of Cultures or, in Spain, the Day of Hispanidad. It is celebrated in many Spanish-speaking countries. There are special parades (military) in the streets and people wear costumes of many colors and masks. Celebrate the contributions of indigenous, Asian and African peoples. It commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas. Sometimes people go to church. 12 of October
el Día de las Brujas
It's October 31. It is celebrated in the United States and recently in some Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain and Costa Rica. Typically children wear costumes and ask for sweets from neighbors. At night they go from house to house to ask for sweets and say "trick or treat". October 31
las Fallas
It's Saint Joseph's Day, the saint of the carpenters. The celebration lasts four days and ends on March 19. It takes place in the city of Valencia, Spain. They make and burn the ninots, that is, the large statues made of wood, cardboard and papier mache that they do not use during January. They put the fireworks in the ninots and burn them at midnight. There are many parades with the ninots that represent famous people, politicians, or book scenes. They put the best ninot in the ninots museum in Valencia. The other ninots burn during the Fallas. March 19
el Día de Independencia de México
It's September 16. People gather in the zócalo, the main square of Mexico City, in front of the National Palace on the night of September 15 to begin the celebration of freedom with "the Grito de Dolores". The president goes out to a balcony, gives a speech, proclaims the cry, "Long live Mexico!" And rings the Bell of Dolores. People decorate with the colors of the flag, red, white, and green. Use chopped paper, piñatas or flowers to decorate. They have a feast and eat many traditional dishes such as pozole and chiles en nogada. There are also parades, rodeos, bullfights and much more. Break the piñatas and fire the fireworks. In the squares there are bands that play at concerts and many people participate in traditional dances. September 16
la Fiesta de la Señora de Mercé
It's September 24. This festival, also known as the Fiestas de Nuestra Señora de la Merced, is the biggest festival in Barcelona. It was created in 1871, in honor of the Virgen de la Merced, named patron of the city. The festivities include more than 500 activities for all tastes: from parades and concerts, to folkloric dances or street theater and dance shows. Among the many acts that take place, we must mention the typical human castles or the human towers of the Castellers in the Plaza de San Jaime (Jaume), the parades of giants and big heads, and the Correfoc which are the costumed characters who carry fire and flares. September 24
el Año Nuevo
It's the first of January. It is celebrated in all the Spanish-speaking countries, but the way of celebrating varies a lot. In many countries, one meets with family or friends at home. It says, "Happy New Year!" To friends and relatives to start the new year. In many countries people eat the reheating that is done with the food left over from New Year's Eve parties. In Spain, it is customary to eat nougat and dessert cava. The typical dessert of this day in Mexico is the donut. It's a part of the holiday season. 1 of January
el Día de Todos los Santos
It's the first of November. It is celebrated in all the Spanish-speaking countries, but the most famous and famous celebration happens in Mexico. They honor the Saints and the little angels, that is, the dead babies and children, with special offerings that contain the child's favorite toys. 1 of November
el Día de la Independencia de los Estados Unidos (EE. UU.)
July 4th. It commemorates the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signed by the Second Continental Congress in 1776, when the United States gained its independence from Great Britain. There are parades during the day with bands that play music. Many families have picnics in the parks and meet with relatives or friends. At night, there are fireworks. July 4th
la temporada navideña
Other events that occur during the holiday season include the Posadas, the Fat, the April Fool's Day, and the Child. Las Posadas are the special celebrations during the nine days before Christmas, from December 16 to 24, which recall the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph from their departure from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where they look for a place to stay and await the birth of the child Jesus. El Gordo and El Niño are two of the most popular lottery draws held in Spain every December 22 and January 6. April Fool's Day is celebrated on December 28. It is a day full of jokes in which people make and receive jokes and innocents of any nature and nature.
el Carnaval
The date changes every year but occurs in the months of February or March in the days before the Day of the Ashes, before the beginning of Christian Lent. It lasts three to five days. It is celebrated in many Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America such as Colombia, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Argentina. There are huge parades with colored floats. People dress up with masks and very bright clothes. There are many dancers and musicians in groups that march through the streets. Sometimes they throw water to people in the streets. Months of February or March
el día del santo
The date is different for each person because it depends on the birthday or the holy day with your name. It is celebrated in all Spanish-speaking countries. In Mexico they sing "Las mañanitas." There are parties and gifts that you give to the special person on this day.
las fiestas de San Fermín
The parties begin on July 6 and end on July 14. They are also called Sanfermines or San Fermin. It happens in Pamplona, the capital of Navarre in the north of Spain. The celebration begins with the chupinazo when they launch a special firework and ends when people sing "Pobre de mí" on the last day. Each day there is a confinement, that is, the bullfight, at eight in each morning. Begin July 6 end July 14
la Feria de Abril
This celebration takes place two weeks after Easter in a fairground built on the banks of the Guadalquivir river in the city of Seville in Andalusia, Spain. Officially the Fair begins at midnight on Monday, called the night of pescaito, with the lighting, that is, the ceremony when it lights the bulbs of the cover and the thousands of booths, illuminating with a white light all the Real de la Feria. During the week, relatives and friends gather at the booths or stroll through the Real de la Feria dressed in their short suits or flamenco dresses and combs. They pass through the enclosure that is covered in the floor of albero. During the week they play gypsy music and dance the Sevillanas. The typical food of the celebration includes the Spanish omelet. It ends the following Sunday at midnight with some spectacular fireworks over the River Guadadalquivir. Two weeks after Easter
la Semana Santa
This religious celebration occurs in the seven days between the Sunday of Branches and the Passover. The date changes every year. It is celebrated in all the Spanish-speaking countries but the celebration in Seville, Spain is very special. There are parades that are called processions with very large steps (floats). The steps have many flowers, candles and ancient and impressive statues that are called images. The streets are full of people. People pray and gather in churches. There are bands that play the special music and some people who sing the saetas, that is, flamenco songs. Occurs in Seven days
