Universal Facts Research

Universal Fact: People love to celebrate. This statement holds true anywhere you may be in the world, whether it be for religious or secular reasons, people are always looking for reasons to celebrate. However, it is important to understand the differences in the way groups of people celebrate, so as to respect their culture, especially when you are in a foreign environment.

There are many holidays shared throughout much of the world, especially Christian religious holidays. Some important holidays include Christmas and Easter, or Holy Week. This is heavily due to Christianity being a major religion in both Region (source 2). A major difference between Christmas in Spain, as opposed to Christmas in the American Midwest, is that presents are opened on Christmas eve, instead of Christmas day. While Papa Noel is growing in popularity in Spain, more native figures include Olentzero and Tió de Nadal.Three days after Christmas, in Spain, “Dia de los santos inocentes” is celebrated. It is similar to “April Fool’s Day” with people playing jokes on each other. Easter is another important holiday, in both Spain and the American Midwest. Easter is celebrated the entire week in Spain, with sculptures being paraded through the streets. This is a time of penance. The parades often

include members of a religious brotherhood. Easter Egg hunts are becoming more popular in Spain, but not until recently, while they have been an important part of American tradition for decades (Source 1).
Spain also has many holidays, without counterparts in the Americas.

This includes Fiestas de Otono, St. Anthony’s Day, There are also many regional holidays that are only celebrated in parts of Spain, but not the entire country. This is largely due to the history of Spain having been a Kingdom in the past, with different areas having their own celebration. The different regions were independent of each other, and holidays grew independent of each other. American holidays are often nationally celebrated, as opposed to being on a state by state basis. This is because, excluding the American Civil War, the states have been United. The holidays were brought with the people as expansion

happened.
The American Midwest also celebrates many holidays without counterparts in Spain. One major public, but nonreligious, holiday in the United States, but not in Spain, is the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr, an important figure in American Culture, due to the fight for Civil Rights. Also, Spain doesn’t celebrate President’s day, because it is a holiday celebrating American presidents.
The shared holidays between the United States and Spain are, mostly, due to either the religion behind the holiday, such as Christmas and Easter, or the growing communication around the world, like New Year’s Day. Had Spain been under a stronger government at the time of the conquistadors, there would probably have been more religious holidays brought to the Americas. Understanding the Holidays of other countries’ is an important part in accepting the culture. Ignorance of the traditional holidays celebrated by different peoples creates cultural barriers, which lead to misunderstandings.