On the 23rd of April, the whole Catalunya celebrates the Diada de Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day), to commemorate one of its patron saints and I believe it is probably the actual Saint Valentine's day around here. The tradition wants sweethearts (but also loved ones and friends) to exchange gifts: men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion—"a rose for love and a book forever." Roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent tradition originating in 1923 and used to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616. So this is the day bookshops are so full you cannot even move around and Las Ramblas are filled with thousands of thousands of roses.
I wish you all a Happy Saint George's day!
All images via.
