Spanish workers can take a long break before Christmas thanks to two public holidays that fall in the first two weeks of December and frequently form a “puente” (bridge).
What makes these two days in Spain “festivos”?
This nation-wide public holiday is always celebrated on December 6th and marks the approval of the Spanish Constitution by the Spanish people in 1978.
As part of the Spanish transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, a general election took place in 1977 to convene the Cortes Generales (Parliament) for the purpose of drafting and approving a constitution (this is called Cortes Constituyentes)
Immaculate Conception Day is a religious holiday that is celebrated on December 8 every year. This day celebrates the conception of the Virgin Mary in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. Immaculate Conception Day is also considered one of the most important celebrations in the Roman Catholic Church’s Liturgical Year.
- 6 December (Tuesday): Spanish Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución)
- 8 December (Thursday): Immaculate Conception (La Inmaculada Concepción)
- 25 December (Sunday): Christmas (Navidad)
- 26 December (Monday): Christmas holiday
- 28 December (Wednesday): Innocent Saints Day- Els Enfarinats in Ibi, Spain. Christian feast day – the festival is celebrated with pranks, similar to April Fools’ Day)
- 31 December (Saturday): Doce uvas (the Spanish New Year’s tradition of eating twelve grape varieties, one for each of the twelve clock strokes by midnight.
