Día de los Santos Inocentes – Spain’s “April Fool’s Day” – 28 December

[Janet]

Don't believe everything you read in the papers or hear on the radio tomorrow, because 28 December is the Día de los Santos Inocentes, Holy Innocents' Day. On this day, practical jokes are played in a way familiar from April Fool's Day in the UK. The tradition is rooted in King Herod's biblical massacre of the babies (innocents) in an attempt to kill Jesus, and the perhaps tenuous connection is that joke victims in Spain are also called innocents. Most of the papers, TV and radio join in to some extent, so rather than getting caught out, I hope you enjoy spotting the pranks!

JA

[sgd]

Damn it, I suppose that means that Veronicas is NOT going to get demolished after all

[Perikles]

I've scanned El País and can find nothing except doom and gloom, dishonest politicians and economic disaster. The only hint of absurdity is an article about Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands war fearing that Spain could invade Gibraltar. Here. 

[Janet]

To celebrate the day, Los Cristianos will be turned into a magical funfair this evening, with clowns,  magicians, face painters etc in the centre of town from 5pm, and shows at 7pm in Calle Juan XXIII (road from Church Square to the sea), at 8pm in Church Square, and at 9pm in the Plaza de la Pescadora (on the harbour front).

[Janet]

Don't believe everything you read in the papers or hear on the radio tomorrow, because 28 December is the Día de los Santos Inocentes, Holy Innocents' Day. On this day, practical jokes are played in a way familiar from April Fool's Day in the UK. The tradition is rooted in King Herod's biblical massacre of the babies (innocents) in an attempt to kill Jesus, and the perhaps tenuous connection is that joke victims in Spain are also called innocents. Most of the papers, TV and radio join in to some extent, so rather than getting caught out, I hope you enjoy spotting the pranks!

It's tomorrow folks ...