Spanish holidays: national traditions and customs, features of the celebration

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

The Spaniards are very cheerful people who love celebrations and carnivals. In this country, they are held on a special scale and attract many tourists. The holiday in Spanish is called "fiesta". This word is strongly associated with the fireworks of joyful emotions, folk festivals, fancy dress. Getting acquainted with local holidays, you can better understand the culture and mentality of hot Spaniards.

Interesting Features

The celebrations in this country are officially given two weeks a year. Moreover, Spanish traditional holidays, common to the whole country, take only 9 days. The rest of the time is devoted to regional festivals and festivities. Their minimum number is legally approved - at least two local holidays for each region. The Spaniards are happy to meet and exceed this requirement.

The population of the country is very religious, so most of the celebrations are associated with the Christian faith. However, church traditions are closely intertwined with the local culture, so they have acquired interesting customs, often accompanied by colorful processions, music, singing with a guitar.

Official holidays

Let's get acquainted with the list of Spanish holidays celebrated at the state level:

January 1 here, as in the whole world, the New Year comes, accompanied by the ringing of bells.
January 6 is revered as the Day of the Three Kings (the so-called Magi who brought gifts to baby Jesus).
March 19 is considered Jose Day (as the locals call Saint Joseph, who became the father of Christ on earth).
The Holy Week before Easter is a holiday and falls in March or April.
Spaniards celebrate Labor Day on May 1st.
July 25 is dedicated to the Apostle James, protector of Spain.
On August 15, the whole country remembers the Dormition and Ascension of the Mother of God, who is revered here even more than Jesus himself.
12 October became the official Day of Spain and is accompanied by large-scale festivities.
November 1 is traditionally celebrated as All Saints Day, associated with the veneration of dead ancestors.
December 6 is Constitution Day.
The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on December 8.
December 25, like all over Europe, Spain celebrates Christmas.

January holidays

The calendar year in Spain, like around the world, begins on January 1st. This event is accompanied by colorful illumination, on the streets you can seecostume performances, jugglers, mimes. In Barcelona on Christmas Eve, people flock to the Singing Fountains for an unforgettable performance with water, music and fireworks soaring into the sky. To the sound of the bells, everyone makes a wish and tries to eat 12 grapes, because without this ritual the year will not be successful.

Spanish holidays and traditions are closely related to religion. On January 6, people remember the three Magi (here they are called kings), who brought gifts to the newborn Savior. Processions pass through the cities. Lastly, the carriage with the main characters leaves. They distribute toys and sweets to the children running after the procession. Small Spaniards also receive gifts at home. They are put into shoes that are exposed to the street.

February holidays

The second month of the year is famous for its enchanting carnivals taking place in many areas. Holidays on the Spanish streets are pompous. The most spectacular are the celebrations on the island of Tenerife. They are not much inferior only to the famous carnival in the Brazilian Rio de Janeiro. Each year, a theme is chosen ("Future", "Pirates", "Atlantis", etc.), according to which costumes are sewn and the streets are decorated.

The carnival begins with the choice of a queen. In honor of her, a procession is held - Cabalcade - with fireworks and incendiary dances. For two weeks you can enjoy live music, theatrical shows and a variety of entertainment. The finale is the solemn "BurialSardines" - a huge papier-mâché fish. It is burned to the sound of a funeral march. This tradition is associated with an old event, when Carlos III treated the people of Madrid with free rotten fish.

Also interesting is the holiday in Cadiz, which is very similar to the Venetian carnival. Its feature is a large number of comedies and parodies of famous people during the fiesta.

Spring holidays

Jose Day is celebrated throughout Spain in March. Its other name is Father's Day. Children give their dads gifts and put on touching performances.

The coming of spring is dedicated to the fiery Fallas festival, which takes place in Valencia. Huge dolls are created from various materials, depicting political, fairy-tale or historical characters. On the night of the equinox, they are burned, accompanying this action with marches and beautiful fireworks.

In April, half the country gathers for the famous Seville fair, which opens a week after Easter. She is accompanied by festivities, dancing, rhythmic melodies, drinking and traditional bullfights.

Spanish holidays in May begin with labor demonstrations to coincide with Labor Day. Among the local celebrations are:

Horse Fair in Jerez de la Frontera, where you can be transported to the atmosphere of traditional Andalusia and admire the hot horses;
Day of the Cross in Granada and Cardoba, when local craftsmen compete to make crosses;
celebrations in honor of Saint Isidro in Madrid, accompanied bycarnival and fairs.

Easter

The Spaniards call this holiday Semana Santa. It is one of the most beloved and is celebrated with great variety. Each community is trying to outdo the rest, preparing magnificent platforms with images of biblical events, Christ, the Virgin Mary. They are carried on their shoulders by strong men, with a special gait creating the illusion of mobility of the images.

The holiday is celebrated during a week called Passion Week. Religious processions take place every day, accompanied by a choir and a live orchestra. On Easter Sunday, an atmosphere of happiness reigns all around, music plays, drum rolls sound, and snow-white doves are released into the sky.

Summer holidays

June 23rd in Spain is St. Juan's Day, which is in many ways similar to the Russian celebration of Ivan Kupala. On this night, you can be cleansed of sins if you swim in the pond and jump over the fire. People gather on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, sing songs with a guitar, make a fire and make wishes.

July 25 is a Spanish holiday dedicated to the Apostle James. It was he who made in ancient times a dangerous pilgrimage across the country. It is believed that his relics magically appeared in the vicinity of modern Santiago de Compostela. In this city, celebrations are distinguished by a special scope. In addition to dancing and street music, locals admire the magnificent laser show that lights up Obradoiro Square.

In August, the Assumption of the Virgin is considered the most significant holiday. This day is acceptedattend solemn masses. There are festivities in some areas. In the city of Elche, a traditional theatrical performance is held, where the burial of the Madonna and her miraculous resurrection are played to the sounds of an organ and bells. It ends with the coronation of the Virgin.

Local celebrations

Summer is a fertile time for Spanish national holidays. Many of them are celebrated in certain regions. We list the most interesting events:

Music festivals in Granada and Santaderra, where you can see passionate flamenco, listen to operettas and live concerts.
Fiesta San Fermin in Pamplona, which is accompanied by the running of the bulls through the narrow streets. To tickle your nerves, a lot of extreme lovers come to the holiday.
Austoria Cider Festival, where you can not only taste this drink, but also learn a lot about its production.
Tomatino holiday in Bunol, dedicated to the end of August. Dancing and festivities end with a grandiose battle, during which those present throw tomatoes at each other. Especially for this, the authorities are importing 125 tons of ripe tomatoes.

Autumn Holidays

This season, the countryside is celebrating harvesting and slaughtering livestock. There are few official holidays.

On October 12, the country commemorates the discovery of America by the famous Spaniard Christopher Columbus. Since then, the Spanish language and culture began to spread rapidly in the New World. To a significant eventparades are timed. In Zaragoza these days they lay flowers at the pillar with the image of Our Lady. According to legend, she miraculously appeared on it at the beginning of our era. The celebration is accompanied by fairs, competitions, circus performances and concerts.

The Spanish Feast of the Dead (November 1) has its roots in the Druids, but Christianity gave it a new color and renamed All Saints' Day. Local residents gather with the whole family at the table, visit cemeteries and bring flowers to the graves of loved ones. In rural areas, this day coincided with another holiday - "magosto". It is customary to roast chestnuts on fires, drink wine and tell funny horror stories.

December holidays

In the first month of winter, there are several national celebrations. Spain became a democratic country only in 1978. On December 6, all rallies and events are dedicated to this significant event.

Two days later comes the turn of another Spanish holiday, the reason for which was the immaculate conception of the Virgin by her mother. On this day, solemn services are held, laudatory songs are heard, white flowers are placed near the statues of the Madonna. After December 8, the country begins preparations for Christmas.

Long before its onset, fairs are held in cities, theatrical performances are shown. It is customary to celebrate the eve of the holiday with the family. Turkey with mushrooms, seafood and sweets are served on the table. Gifts for children are delivered by a mummer peasant (Olenzero). Christmas trees are decorated in housesthey sing Christmas songs near them.

Spanish holidays are always filled with bright performances, fireworks, noisy fairs and crowded processions. These people love and know how to have fun. That is why many tourists from all over the world strive to get to the Spanish fiestas.