Día de la Cruz

May 3rd is el Día de la Cruz in Granada. According to www.lovegranada.com, "The festival was first celebrated in Granada in the XVII century, when an alabaster cross was erected in 1625 in the district of San Lázaro, and all the locals celebrated by singing and dancing around it". Today businesses, churches, schools, and other groups of people decorate crosses around the city. Here are some examples:

Campo del Príncipe

There is a competition run by the city council that awards prizes to the best crosses. The crosses are decorated with flowers, and the areas around the crosses are decorated with all sort of things, such as pottery, guitars, coins, etc. One typical decoration is an apple with a pair of scissors in it. Phoebe learned at school that this is a way of warning people not to say the word "but", as in "This cross is pretty, but...". In other words, you should not criticize the way the cross is decorated.

Scissors in an apple

Many people (especially children!) dress up in typical dress of Andalucía, called moda flamenca, that flamenco dancers also wear.