Holidays and traditions
In Catalonia, the 15 official holidays, 9 of which coincide with holidays in the rest of Spain, 5 set by the local government and municipalities set 1 in honor of the patron saint ( patron ) of the area.
Holidays throughout the territory of Catalonia :
- January 1 - New Year;
- January 6 - Epiphany and Three Kings Day (Los Reyes Magos). Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar - the three wise men who brought gifts to Jesus on Christmas Day. In this day there are theatrical procession, during which the three kings pass on special platforms around the city and thrown into a crowd of sweets. Especially " professional" members of this holiday is collected several kilos of sweets! That same day, children receive presents and Christmas ;
- May 1 - Labour Day;
- Holy Week - Good Friday;
- Holy Week - Easter Eve ( Lounes de Pascua );
- June 23 - Celebration of the day Sv.Zhoana. The holiday is celebrated for nearly a week, the Spaniards and their families move to the beaches, where they spent a few days in abundant feasts in tents in huge bonfires. The songs and sounds of guitar people jumping over bonfires and make a wish. Some elements of this festival very similar to the more familiar to us Ivan Kupala Day;
- August 15 - Assumption of Mary;
- September 11 - National Day of Catalonia;
- October 12 - National Holiday of Spain. Day of the Spanish nation (Dia de la Hispanidad), a holiday dedicated to the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492 The biggest event of the day - noisy fiesta Dia del Pilar in Zaragoza, marking the end of the bullfighting season;
- November 1 - All Saints' Day;
- December 6 - Day of the Spanish Constitution;
- December 8 - Immaculate Conception. (Día de la Inmaculada Concepción) - a national holiday and a day off in the whole of Spain;
- December 25 - Christmas;
- December 26 - St. Stephen.
It's an open secret that the Spanish love to entertain and have fun. Not for nothing, one of the most well-known abroad Spanish words - it's a fiesta. And I must admit that the fiestas in Spain is not just a lot, a lot of them. In addition to national holidays in every city, town, village has at least one traditional fiesta ( the patron of the city, or an important event in the history of the region ), which is celebrated fairs, processions, fireworks, parades and pageants Romero - a mass pilgrimage to the local shrine. In those days, all the shops are closed, and the festivities may continue for days .
The most well-known manifestation of Catalan traditions are " kastelers " - building human towers. This custom, which comes from the south of Catalonia, has recently spread across the Authority.
In Catalonia, do not dance flamenco. It has its own folk dance - the Sardana.
In the days of local holidays manifest other traditions - parades of giants and tadpoles, korrefoks ( procession of fire ) with devils and firecrackers.