Holidays and Festivals in Uruguay
New Year's kept its name.
For the rest, the only country in Latin America which doesn't give a Constitutional
preference to the Catholic church had to toggle a bit with suitable names. Christmas
becomes Family Day, Dec. 25. Very much awaited by children is Children's Day.
Jan 5, also known as Kings' Day (from the visit the Three Kings made to baby Jesus),
on which a second chance for presents happens after Christmas. This is not a public
holiday.
Easter is Semana de Turismo, (Tourism week) in which city people go to the country
and shoot anything that moves, and trash the rest. Well, it's not really THAT bad, but it
sure sounds and looks like it.
April 19 is the "Desembarco de los Treinta y Tres", (Landing of the 33) when 33
Uruguayans came back in 1825 to successfully fight for independence from the
Portuguese-Brazilian occupants.
May 1 is Labour Day (Dia del Trabajo),
May 18 is something I don't remember
June 19 is Artigas' Anniversary (Artigas, our National Hero)
July 18 remember the Swearing In of the Constitution (Jura de la Constitución).
(Most Uruguayan cities have '18 de Julio' as the main commercial avenue)
August 25 is Independence Day (not that much celebrated)
October 12 (Columbus Day - Descubrimiento de America)
November 2 (All Souls') Todos Santos
December 8 is also something and then ......
Christmas. 'guay closes down for all purposes from mid December to early March.
It's summer, and that is sacred.