The History Man

Today celebrates the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, Son of God.

Christians the world over consider today to be one of the most important days in the religious calendar. In many Roman Catholic countries, it is an official “feast day”.

[Image courtesy of Freepik]

Designation as public holiday

    [Image courtesy of Reddit]

8 December is a registered public holiday in the following sovereign countries and territories:

•  Andorra
•  Argentina
•  Austria
•  Chile
•  Colombia — its people cook food and delicacies honoring this day.
•  Equatorial Guinea
•  Guam (USA)
•  Italy — it has been a national holiday since 1853. The Pope, in his capacity as Bishop of Rome, visits the Column of the Immaculate Conception in Piazza di Spagna to offer expiatory prayers commemorating the solemn event. The day marks the start of the Christmas season in the country.
•  Liechtenstein
•  Macau, China — by Government Executive Order No. 60/2000, published on 29 September 2000 and enforced into legal effect since 1 January 2001.
•  Malta
•  Monaco — it is celebrated with food festivities, particularly honoring mothers and grandmothers.
•  Nicaragua – the solemnity is celebrated with local parades and religious processions.
•  Panama – it is celebrated throughout the country as Mother's Day.
•  Paraguay
•  Peru
•  Philippines – a non-working public holiday in honour of the Immaculate Conception as Principal Patroness, signed into law on 28 December 2017.
•  Portugal
•  San Marino
•  Seychelles
•  Spain — since 8 November 1760, the day is marked as a national holiday as designated by Pope Clement XIII.
•  Switzerland — at present, 13 out of 26 cantons have elected to make this is a registered public holiday in accordance with government laws.
•  East Timor
•  Vatican
•  Venezuela

“Puente”

If a “national holiday” falls on a Sunday, the regional governments — the autonomous communities of Spain — can choose an alternate holiday, or they can allow local authorities to choose.

A “Puente” (bridge) is sometimes made between weekends and holidays that fall on Tuesday or Thursday. The “Puente” will then create a long weekend.

In 2024, 8 December falls on a Sunday, today, as a result of which Monday 9 December is also a “día festivo”.       

                                                  [Image courtesy of La Sexta]

Which is why banks, schools, universities, medical centres, government and council offices and many shops and businesses closed their doors last Thursday and won’t re-open them until next Tuesday!

Spanish-owned stores, such as Mercadona and Día remain closed on religious days.

It is noticeable, however, that foreign-owned supermarkets and DIY stores, such as Aldi, LIDL and Bauhaus, German; Al Campo, Carrefour, Supeco, Leroy Merlin and Conforama, all French; IKEA, Swedish; and JYSK, Danish, open as normal.

[Image courtesy of LinkedIn]

© The History Man

Acknowledgements:

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Secret Serranía

Wikipedia

Images:

Freepik

La Sexta

LinkedIn

Reddit

Tags:

8 December, Al Campo, Aldi, banks, Bauhaus, businesses, Carrefour, Conforama, Día, “día festivo”, DIY stores, foreign-owned supermarkets, Freepik, government and council offices, History Man, IKEA, immaculate conception, Inmaculada Concepción, JYSK, La Sexta, Leroy Merlin, LIDL, LinkedIn, medical centres, Mercadona, national holiday, “Puente”, Reddit, schools, Secret Serranía, shops, Spanish-owned stores, Supeco, universities, Virgin Mary, Wikipedia, áéíóúü

One of the most significant días festivos in Spain – in fact a national holiday – appears to be of little importance to the Spaniards where I live in Andalucía.

As I write this at 19.30 on the day itself in my local bar, there is nobody about!

I’ve spoken to a few of my Spanish neighbours, and today is not important for them. They’re just glad to have a day off!

Why is it not important?

Día de la Constitución

Today is a celebration of Spain emerging from the Franco dictatorship and becoming a fully-fledged democratic country for the first time since 1936, more than 80 years ago!

But here I sit, in my local and there’s nobody about!

***

Wait! It’s 19.40 and a bunch of Spanish hotel guests have just arrived in the bar.

I’ve just spent 20 minutes talking to them. They’re from Merida in Extremadura, my second-favourite region in Spain, and they understand the significance of today. BTW, there are 40 of them from a walking group (senderistas).

For me, as a foreigner, who has experienced Spain since Franco, the golpe de estado in 1980, the economic crash in 2008 and the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current resurgence of the Spanish economy, I think that today is a very important day in the modern history of Spain.

But, that’s just me!

The locals seem only to be interested in a day off!

© The Travel Guru

Links:

Fortieth anniversary of Spain's failed coup - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Journey to the hard extreme - Extremadura - Part 1

Extremadura – Journey to the hard extreme – Part 2 - 2021

Acknowledgements:

RTVE

Sitios de España

Tags:

Andalucía, Covid-19 pandemic, Día de la Constitución, día festivo, economic crash, Extremadura, foreigner, Franco dictatorship, golpe de estado in 1980, Merida, national holiday, RTVE, resurgence of the Spanish economy, Sitios de España, Travel Guru