Cultural Calendar for Spanish Class

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is celebrated throughout Mexico and in many other parts of the world, both as a patriotic holiday in Mexico and as an international symbol of Mexican culture. While Cinco de […]

Spanish Language Day on April 23rd is an annual event dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the importance of the Spanish language, which is spoken by millions of people around the world. On this day, events are organized all over the globe to celebrate and promote the language. It is a great way for Spanish speakers […]

Christmas is an important holiday in Latin America. It represents the birth of Jesus Christ, a religious figure that is celebrated by Christians around the world. For many Latin Americans, Christmas is a time of joy and celebration with family and friends. During this season, it is tradition to exchange gifts, prepare traditional meals, decorate […]

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st, which typically involves activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, and consuming seasonal treats. It is commonly believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming […]

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that is traditionally celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It is a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and the preceding year. Families typically gather to share traditional Thanksgiving foods, such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Other activities that are […]

Año Nuevo (América Latina) Cultural Presentation and Activities – In Spanish and English Students learn about New Year’s Eve traditions in some Spanish-speaking countries. Gloria Estefan – Abriendo Puertas – Present Tense and the New Year – This activity includes three cloze versions, full song lyrics, short artist bio, link to Youtube video and answer […]

Fiestas Patrias is an important national holiday in Chile celebrated each year on September 18th. This holiday honors the Chilean Declaration of Independence that took place on this day in 1818. (Not to be confused with Independence Day on February 12th.) It is a day of remembrance, reflection, and celebration throughout the country. During this […]

Day of the Dead is an annual holiday celebrated in Mexico and other countries throughout Latin America. It is a multi-day celebration that honors family members who have passed away. The holiday is held on November 1st and 2nd each year, coinciding with Catholic All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Throughout the holiday, people […]

In Latin America, October 12 is celebrated as Dia de la Raza, which marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492. October 12 is celebrated as “Day of Indigenous Resistance” in Latin America. It is a day to commemorate the struggles and achievements of indigenous people throughout the region, to promote indigenous […]

Carnivals are festivals and celebrations held regularly, usually to mark the change of seasons or other important events. The origin of word “carnival” is from the Latin “carne vale” which translates as “farewell to the flesh” and was associated with feasting and merriment before fasting during Lent. Carnivals can generally involve parades, music, dance, costumes, […]

Dia de las Americas, or Day of the Americas, is an annual holiday celebrated in Latin America on April 14th. The holiday celebrates the political and cultural solidarity among Latin American countries. It commemorates the establishment of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocity signed in 1890 by the United States and various countries in Central and […]

In the Spanish-speaking world, Holy Week and Easter go hand in hand. In Latin America and Spain, this is a religious celebration. Your students can compare the religious and secular ways to celebrate this holiday and its origin.  Next are ready made Spanish class activities and a resource sheet. Easter and Holy Week Traditions Spanish […]

Mexico celebrates its independence each year on September 15th and 16th. On September 15th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo launched a movement to free Mexico from Spanish rule. This movement grew into a revolution, which led to the official declaration of independence from Spain on September 16th, 1810. Today, Mexicans celebrate their independence with parades, festivals, and […]

Help students understand the traditions associated with Valentine’s Day in Spanish and foster a better understanding of the language as it relates to the holiday. Additionally, teaching Valentine’s Day vocabulary can be beneficial for students who are learning Spanish by using it as an opportunity for them to practice their conversational skills in Spanish. Valentine’s […]

A traditional festival, the Falles, is celebrated each year in Valencia, Spain in honor of Saint Joseph. The five main days of celebration are March 15–19, and fireworks displays (Mascletà) are held every day between March 1- 19. Generally, the term falles refers both to the celebrations and to the monuments set ablaze during these […]