Spring is in the air, and the city is showing off. Today, April 23 is the day of Sant Jordi in Palma. Book stalls and rose vendors line the streets of the old town. And by mid-morning, it feels like all of Palma has turned out at once. Families with strollers, couples hand in hand, elderly neighbors moving slowly but deliberately from table to table. And then there are the school kids. Whole classes of them, teachers in tow, descending on the book stalls with the kind of wide-eyed curiosity that makes you believe in reading all over again. Some kids clutch their fresh purchases to their chests like trophies.
A Love Letter to Palma
Beyond the books and flowers, the streets themselves are the stage. Writers sign their books. Neighbors swap reading recommendations. Children press their noses against illustrated covers. Meanwhile, Monkey Doo swings along the streets, drawing spontaneous little crowds. Sant Jordi in Palma adds up to a meet-and-greet, a literary fair, a street festival and a love letter to La Ciudad, all rolled into one beautiful spring day.
A Rose for You, a Book for Me
Traditionally, men gave women a red rose, and women gave men a book on Sant Jordi. The gesture was simple but loaded with meaning: beauty and knowledge, nature and culture, together. Over time, though, the ritual has evolved. Today, the exchange goes both ways, regardless of gender. You give a rose, you give a book, you give both. What matters is the giving, and the person you are giving to.
A Knight and a Dragon
According to legend, the knight Sant Jordi slew a fearsome dragon, and from the creature’s blood grew a spectacular rose bush. He then picked the most beautiful bloom and handed it to the princess he had just rescued. Story, love, gesture. It was always about all three.
World Book Day
Sant Jordi is celebrated particularly on Mallorca and in Catalonia. But the idea reaches far beyond. The first official World Book Day took place on April 23 in 1995, established by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing, and copyright.
The choice of date was both deliberate and deeply symbolic. April 23 coincides with the death date of literary giants including Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Garcilaso de la Vega. Today, World Book Day is recognized in over 100 countries.
Literature Is Life
Reading is often a solitary pleasure, but this day proves that literature is life. So go ahead, pick up a rose and find a book that calls to you. 
