Why is 1st November a public holiday in Spain? - Surinenglish.com

SUR in English

Malaga

Tuesday, 31 October 2023, 09:15

Across the whole of Spain, the 1st November is an important date on the calendar and is a public holiday across the country.

It is Día de Todos los Santos or All Saints' Day and in other Latin countries, Day of the Dead, but it isn't a macabre event in any way. It is the day when families remember loved ones who have passed away and get together in cemeteries to visit the resting places of their relatives. Many spend a few days beforehand cleaning, painting and laying fresh flowers around the niche in preparation for the special day.

More flowers are sold at this time of the year than any other and the cemeteries become adorned with colourful floral offerings.

Families may take food to enjoy at the cemetery, especially the traditional sweet cakes such as 'huesos de santos' (saints' bones), 'borrachuelos' (drunken cakes) and 'buñuelos' (fried pastries filled with chocolate or cream; it was believed with each one eaten, a soul was saved from purgatory).

Many traditions are dying out, there used to be three consecutive masses held on 2 November, one for the souls trapped in purgatory and the other two for the families of the dead. It was also usual to go to the theatre on the day and watch 'Don Juan Tenorio' by José Zorilla, mainly because the last act is held in a cemetery and the dialogue is about death.

In other Latin countries where 1st November is celebrated as Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), families remember their dead relatives in much the same way.

In Mexico, the celebrations for the Día de los Muertos' are a mixture of Aztec and Chritian traditions. 'La Catrina' (the elegant skeleton) is an iconic figure representing death and is depicted by a female skeleton, usually grinning broadly, wearing an elegant, colourful dress. Elaborate altars are set up and decorated with candles and everyday objects that the deceased person used.

Adblock test (Why?)



from "holiday" - Google News https://ift.tt/XKqw9di
via IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

China to resume issuing passports, visas for travel abroad despite ... - Global News

Image
China says it will resume issuing passports for tourism in another big step away from anti-virus controls that isolated the country for almost three years, setting up a potential flood of Chinese going abroad for next month’s Lunar New Year holiday. The announcement Tuesday adds to abrupt changes that are rolling back some of the world’s strictest anti-virus controls as President Xi Jinping’s government tries to reverse an economic slump. Rules that confined millions of people to their homes kept China’s infection rate low but fueled public frustration and crushed economic growth. Read more: Beijing, Shanghai residents back to work as COVID outbreak continues in China Read More Beijing, Shanghai residents back to work as COVID outbreak continues in China The latest decision could send free-spending Chinese tourists to revenue-starved destinations in Asia and Europe for Lunar New Year, which begins Jan. 22 and usually is the country’s busiest travel season. But it al
Read more

What’s open, closed on the Civic Holiday in Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara Region - Global News

Image
Monday will be a day off for many Ontarians as the province celebrates a civic holiday on the first weekend of August 2022. The August long weekend is expected to bring daytime temperatures in the high 20s throughout the three days. Read more: ‘A long time coming’: Parents book COVID vaccines for little kids in Ontario Here’s a list of some common businesses and services that will be open and closed on the civic holiday: Administrative offices: Offices are closed on Monday. Licensing and bylaw services: Licensing and bylaw phone queue line will be closed on Monday. Service will resume on Tuesday. Green bin, garbage and recycling: No collection on Monday. Pickup will be one day later if it falls on or after the holiday. The city says all materials must be at the curb by 7 a.m.​ Community recycling centres and transfer stations will be closed. 3:07 Ottawa interim police chief says they’ve taken ‘unprecedented measures’ to prepare for possible Canada Day demon
Read more

Opinion: My miraculously pleasant flight shows what air travel can be - CNN

Image
Editor’s Note: Jill Filipovic is a journalist based in New York and author of the book “ OK Boomer, Let’s Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind .” Follow her on Twitter . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely her own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN  —  This past weekend, I had one of the most unusual experiences of my life: a day of air travel that was easy, sensible, efficient — dare I say pleasant. Passengers and airport staff alike were friendly and polite. The airplane seat offered enough room for both of my legs and both of my arms. We took off on time and landed early. My shoes stayed on the whole time I was at the airport. Jill Filipovic Courtesy of Jill Filipovic It was a reminder of what travel could be. It was also in Johannesburg, South Africa, not in the US, and happened under a particular set of circumstances — a domestic flight on the Saturday afternoon of a long holiday weekend when most travelers had already reached their destinations. I h
Read more