The three wise men's Day
After New Year's Day, Latino families still have a very special date to commemorate and enjoy. On January 6, Latin America and Spain celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany, remembering the day when the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus.
While children in the English speaking world may receive gifts from Santa on December 25th, the children of Latin America and Spain receive theirs on January 6, courtesy of the three wise men.
While children in the English speaking world may receive gifts from Santa on December 25th, the children of Latin America and Spain receive theirs on January 6, courtesy of the three wise men.
Holy Week/Easter
The Holy Week of Easter is the most important Catholic religious festival in America and Spain. Semana Santa, Holy Week, celebrates the last days of Christ's life, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, as well as the end of Lent. Semana Santa begins on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) through Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday) and Viernes Santo (Good Friday, culminating in Pascua or Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday). Each day has its rituals, processions through the streets with participants on their knees or carrying large wooden crosses. There are masses and religious observations, prayer meetings, and thousands of devout Catholics doing homage. In many communities, the full Passion Play is enacted from the Last Supper, the Betrayal, the Judgment, the Procession of the 12 Stations of the Cross, the Crucifixion and, finally, the Resurrection. Participants are costumed and play their parts with reverence. During this week, many schools and offices are closed. You can expect resort areas to be crowded as people take advantage of the holiday.
Mexico's 5th of May
Cinco de Mayo or the fifth of May, commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the invading army of France's Napoleon III at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. At the time, Napoleon's army was the best in Europe. Since the United States was busy fighting its own civil war, Napoleon III saw an opportunity to establish a Monarchy in Mexico. Nevertheless, the new Mexican nation was able to ruined Napoleon's plan. The Mexican army that defeated the french at the Battle of Puebla was aided by local zacapoaxtlas indigenous armed with machetes. The French army was not ready for a hand to hand combat with machetes. To commemorate the victory, President Benito Juarez, made the 5th of May a national holiday. It is not Mexico's independence day, as is commonly believed. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations.
Mother's day
In Latin America, Mothers Day is always celebrated on May 10 as opposed to the Mothers Day in US that fall on the second Sunday in the month of May. Mothers Day in Latin America is celebrated in a colorful fashion. Children honor their mothers and thank them for their efforts in bringing them up. According to a custom in Mexico, sons and daughters come to the Family Home on the eve of Mothers Day on May 9..On Mother's Day people in Mexico send gifts of flowers and cards to their mothers. There is also a tradition of giving gifts on Mothers Day. While the older children generally buy gifts from the store, the younger ones may prepare handmade gifts to honor their mothers. In several schools Mothers Day functions are organized where little ones present skits and songs to their Moms to express their gratitude and love.
Father's Day
Since the Catholic Church holds a significant influence on Spanish culture, Father’s Day, known in Spanish as ´El día del padre´ is celebrated in Spain on St. Joseph's Day, which falls on March 19. St. Joseph's Day is a Roman Catholic feast day designated to commemorate the life of the patron saint of carpenters – Joseph - who set the example of fatherhood and good husband as the foster father of Jesus and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Until very recently, Father’s Day was a non-working holiday in Spain. This holiday is considered to be extremely important in Spain as it helps acknowledge the contribution of fathers to individual families and to societies as large. It is also the time to honour those family members and friends who fulfil the role of father-figures. Usually the whole family gets together for a big feast and to give small gifts to their father figure. In some parts of Spain it is celebrated in conjuction the fiesta of Las Fallas.
The holiday was adopted by countries around the world over the course of the years. Today, countries celebrate this holiday on different days: Spain, along with the majority of European countries celebrate this day on March 19, while Latin America follows the U.S. tradition of the third Sunday of June. Other countries have their own individual dates. Though the date and manner of celebrations differ in several countries, what remains the same is the spirit of the family celebration. Father's Day is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and people everywhere take this opportunity to express appreciation for their dad and to tell him how much he is loved.
Until very recently, Father’s Day was a non-working holiday in Spain. This holiday is considered to be extremely important in Spain as it helps acknowledge the contribution of fathers to individual families and to societies as large. It is also the time to honour those family members and friends who fulfil the role of father-figures. Usually the whole family gets together for a big feast and to give small gifts to their father figure. In some parts of Spain it is celebrated in conjuction the fiesta of Las Fallas.
The holiday was adopted by countries around the world over the course of the years. Today, countries celebrate this holiday on different days: Spain, along with the majority of European countries celebrate this day on March 19, while Latin America follows the U.S. tradition of the third Sunday of June. Other countries have their own individual dates. Though the date and manner of celebrations differ in several countries, what remains the same is the spirit of the family celebration. Father's Day is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and people everywhere take this opportunity to express appreciation for their dad and to tell him how much he is loved.
Teacher's Day
In El Salvador, Teacher’s Day is among the most vibrant appreciation days in Central America. It is celebrated every 22nd day of June. In fact, when this day comes every year the national government is declaring it a national holiday. The declaration is an example how the government recognizes the excellent contribution of educators in the country. They are the sector that helps make a strong nation and the government of El Salvador saw this importance.
When the teacher’s day is coming in a week colleges and universities and even small private schools would start their respective preparation to make the day a very significant day for teachers. Since the education sector gets the respect from all sectors of society many private universities and organizations are giving special achievement awards to professors and teachers who have made great contributions from their respective field.
Among the most noticeable activities across the country during teacher appreciation day is the flooding of love and greetings cards personally made by students. This is usually the scenario especially in public schools. Students would make special cards and give them to their teachers. Lots of educators also find this more interesting because the messages really makes them more important now than ever before.
I had great inspiring teachers here in the States and in El Salvador. The picture above pays tribute to my UCLA Professor Carroll B. Johnson, the greatest
Don Quixote expert after Cerventes himself. The man even looked like Don Quixote. It is the duty of us, his cervantistas, to spread the love for Don Quixote to future generations.. Rest in peace Professor
"I look like everybody's idea of Don Quixote - tall and thin and middle-aged, I think it's cute." he once said
When the teacher’s day is coming in a week colleges and universities and even small private schools would start their respective preparation to make the day a very significant day for teachers. Since the education sector gets the respect from all sectors of society many private universities and organizations are giving special achievement awards to professors and teachers who have made great contributions from their respective field.
Among the most noticeable activities across the country during teacher appreciation day is the flooding of love and greetings cards personally made by students. This is usually the scenario especially in public schools. Students would make special cards and give them to their teachers. Lots of educators also find this more interesting because the messages really makes them more important now than ever before.
I had great inspiring teachers here in the States and in El Salvador. The picture above pays tribute to my UCLA Professor Carroll B. Johnson, the greatest
Don Quixote expert after Cerventes himself. The man even looked like Don Quixote. It is the duty of us, his cervantistas, to spread the love for Don Quixote to future generations.. Rest in peace Professor
"I look like everybody's idea of Don Quixote - tall and thin and middle-aged, I think it's cute." he once said
All Saints' Day
November 1 is celebrated throughout the Catholic world as Día de Todos Santos, or All Saints Day, to honor all the saints, known and unknown, of the Catholic faithful.
November 2 is celebrated as the Day of All Souls. Día de Todos Santosis also known as Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Like many other Catholic celebrations, in the New World it was grafted onto existing indigenous festivities to meld the "new" Catholicism with the "old" pagan beliefs. In countries where the Europeans eventually reduced the indigenous populations, by one means or another, the celebrations gradually lost their native meaning and became more of a traditional Catholic event.
In Latin American countries where the indigenous culture is still strong, such as in Guatemala and Mexico in Central America, and in Bolivia in South America, Día de Todos Santosis an important meld of many influences. In Central America, the dead are honored by visits to the their gravesites, often with food, flowers and all family members.
In Bolivia, the dead are expected to return to their homes and villages. The Andean emphasis is agricultural, since November 1 is in spring south of the Equator. It is the time of returning rains and the reflowering of the earth. The souls of the dead also return to reaffirm life. During this time, the doors are opened to guests, who enter with clean hands and share in the traditional dishes, particularly the favorites of the deceased. Tables are bedecked with bread figurines called t’antawawas, sugarcane, chicha, candies and decorated pastries. At the cemeteries, the souls are greeted with more food, music, and prayers. Rather than a sad occasion, the Día de Todos Santosis a joyous event.
In Peru, November 1 is celebrated nationally, but in Cuzco its known as Día de todos los Santos Vivos, or Day of the Living Saints and celebrated with food, particularly the famed suckling pig and tamales. November 2 is considered the Día de los Santos Difuntosor Day of the Deceased Saints and is honored with visits to cemeteries. Wherever you are in Latin America on the first and second of November, enjoy the local holidays!
November 2 is celebrated as the Day of All Souls. Día de Todos Santosis also known as Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Like many other Catholic celebrations, in the New World it was grafted onto existing indigenous festivities to meld the "new" Catholicism with the "old" pagan beliefs. In countries where the Europeans eventually reduced the indigenous populations, by one means or another, the celebrations gradually lost their native meaning and became more of a traditional Catholic event.
In Latin American countries where the indigenous culture is still strong, such as in Guatemala and Mexico in Central America, and in Bolivia in South America, Día de Todos Santosis an important meld of many influences. In Central America, the dead are honored by visits to the their gravesites, often with food, flowers and all family members.
In Bolivia, the dead are expected to return to their homes and villages. The Andean emphasis is agricultural, since November 1 is in spring south of the Equator. It is the time of returning rains and the reflowering of the earth. The souls of the dead also return to reaffirm life. During this time, the doors are opened to guests, who enter with clean hands and share in the traditional dishes, particularly the favorites of the deceased. Tables are bedecked with bread figurines called t’antawawas, sugarcane, chicha, candies and decorated pastries. At the cemeteries, the souls are greeted with more food, music, and prayers. Rather than a sad occasion, the Día de Todos Santosis a joyous event.
In Peru, November 1 is celebrated nationally, but in Cuzco its known as Día de todos los Santos Vivos, or Day of the Living Saints and celebrated with food, particularly the famed suckling pig and tamales. November 2 is considered the Día de los Santos Difuntosor Day of the Deceased Saints and is honored with visits to cemeteries. Wherever you are in Latin America on the first and second of November, enjoy the local holidays!
Independence from Spain
Most of the nations of Latin America gained their independence from Spain in the years of 1810-1825. Each nation has its own Independence Day which it celebrates with festivals and parades. The nations of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica gained their independence from Spain on September 15th, 1821. Panama was originally part of Colombia.
El Dia de La Raza (Columbus Day)
October 12 (or the nearest Monday to it) is traditionally celebrated throughout the Americas as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. In English speaking countries, the day is celebrated as Columbus Day or Native American Day. In Spanish speaking countries and communities, is is known as Día de la Raza, the Day of the Race. Día de la Raza is the celebration of the Latino heritage of Latin America and brings into it all the ethnic and cultural influences making it distinctive. It also commemorates the meeting of the two worlds of when Christopher Columbus arrived at the island of San Salvador (in the Bahamas) and met with the natives of the new world.
Mexico's Day of the dead
What is Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead? Día de los Muertos is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with All Soul's Day. Unlike Halloween, which is characterized by goblins, witches, and the occult, Day of the Dead, was initially celebrated by the Aztecs to honor the memory of the dead. This 3,000-year-old Aztec ritual fell on the ninth month of the Aztec Solar Calendar, which is the beginning of August and celebrated for a whole month. The "Lady of the Dead" or goddess Mictecacihuatl died at birth, but believed it was her spirit who officiated the celebration.o edit
.People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.
Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes; these usually have the Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other persons, scores of candles and an ofrenda. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so that when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased. Public schools at all levels build altars with ofrendas, usually omitting the religious symbols. Government offices usually have at least a small altar, as this holiday is seen as important to the Mexican heritage.
A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls and rabbits, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.
.People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so that the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.
Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes; these usually have the Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other persons, scores of candles and an ofrenda. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so that when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased. Public schools at all levels build altars with ofrendas, usually omitting the religious symbols. Government offices usually have at least a small altar, as this holiday is seen as important to the Mexican heritage.
A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (colloquially called calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for "skeleton"), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls are gifts that can be given to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls and rabbits, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.
Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas)
Salvadorians like myself and like most in all Latin American, value family and put it first during Christmas celebrations. Family gatherings begin at about 7:00 pm (on Christmas Eve), when members start arriving at a determined home, mostly the grandparents. A must to bring along are fireworks, usually estrellitas which are used around midnight, when everything and everyone is in a festive frenzy with laughter and hugs for the birth of Baby Jesus.
Christmas may very well be the one time of the year when the whole family is together and "catching up" is in order. Friends drop in to spread good wishes and are invited to stay over for dinner, even if it is known that most are doing their "traditional route" through friends' homes before arriving to their own family's celebration. The Misa de Gallo or "Rooster Mass", which is the name for the Christmas Mass begins at midnight. Some families choose to eat before the Mass, others after it. On the way to Mass, it is usual to hear the loud noise of fireworks.
Dinner menus vary as does the times for dinner. Upper and upper middle class families may enjoy a more "Americanized" menu of turkey and ham, while traditional middle class and lower strata families may have chicken or even special homemade tamales.
Just before saying goodbye to the family, a tradition is to place the Baby Jesus figure as part of the Nativity Scene under the Christmas Tree. Even when the Nativity Scene may be set under the tree a month before, the figure is not placed until after midnight of this day, symbolizing that Christ is now born.
Christmas may very well be the one time of the year when the whole family is together and "catching up" is in order. Friends drop in to spread good wishes and are invited to stay over for dinner, even if it is known that most are doing their "traditional route" through friends' homes before arriving to their own family's celebration. The Misa de Gallo or "Rooster Mass", which is the name for the Christmas Mass begins at midnight. Some families choose to eat before the Mass, others after it. On the way to Mass, it is usual to hear the loud noise of fireworks.
Dinner menus vary as does the times for dinner. Upper and upper middle class families may enjoy a more "Americanized" menu of turkey and ham, while traditional middle class and lower strata families may have chicken or even special homemade tamales.
Just before saying goodbye to the family, a tradition is to place the Baby Jesus figure as part of the Nativity Scene under the Christmas Tree. Even when the Nativity Scene may be set under the tree a month before, the figure is not placed until after midnight of this day, symbolizing that Christ is now born.