Celebrating Spain’s national holidays: Spanish Constitution Day on December 6th and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th.
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This Friday, December 6, 2024, will be a public holiday throughout Spain, although only certain regions will enjoy a four-day long weekend.

Before diving into the Christmas festivities, December kicks off with two important public holidays: December 6th and December 8th. These dates often create one of the major holiday “bridges” of the year.

December 6th marks Día de la Constitución Española, or Spanish Constitution Day, a public holiday celebrated nationwide. It commemorates the pivotal day in 1978 when Spaniards voted in a referendum to approve the Spanish Constitution. An overwhelming 91.81% of the 17 million voters supported the document, which would go on to shape Spain’s democratic future.

The Spanish Constitution laid the foundation for key principles such as fundamental rights, public liberties, the separation of powers, and popular sovereignty. These elements have guided Spain’s political and social structure for over four decades.

Following 40 years of dictatorship, the Constitution facilitated Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy. It also addressed pressing historical issues, such as the role of the monarchy, the creation of the Autonomous Communities, and the separation of church and state. The Constitution is a product of consensus, with political forces coming together to negotiate over 3,100 amendments to ensure its broad acceptance.

December 8th: Celebrating the feast of the immaculate conception

The second part of the holiday bridge is December 8, which falls on a Sunday in 2024. This day marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a religious holiday dedicated to the belief that the Virgin Mary was free from original sin from the moment of her conception. First established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1476, it was made universally recognized by Pope Clement XI in 1708 and officially declared a dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

Although this is a national holiday, since December 8th is on a Sunday, the holiday is observed during the weekend, meaning it does not create a longer holiday period this year. This is in contrast to the usual tradition where both December 6th and 8th combine to form the December holiday bridge.

As the Immaculate Conception falls on a Sunday in 2024, it is not a compulsory holiday for the majority of regions. Some autonomous communities may move the December 8th holiday to Monday, December 9, allowing for an extended break.

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