'National Spanish Paella Day', March 27
- Simon O'Donovan
- Mar 25
- 2 min read
🇪🇸 National Spanish Paella Day (March 27)
National Spanish Paella Day celebrates one of Spain’s most famous and colourful dishes. Originating from the Valencia region, paella is a traditional rice dish cooked in a wide, shallow pan and often shared with family and friends. Classic ingredients include rice, saffron, vegetables, and a mix of seafood, chicken, or rabbit.
Paella is more than just food — it’s a social experience, often enjoyed outdoors in the sunshine, bringing people together. Its rich aromas, bright colours, and distinctive flavours make it a perfect topic for reminiscence, conversation, and sensory engagement.
For people living with dementia, talking about favourite meals, holidays in Spain, or even the smell of cooking can help unlock memories and encourage meaningful interaction.
🎵 CST Song Of The Day – “Y Viva España” – Sylvia
“Y Viva España” by Sylvia Vrethammar (often simply known as Sylvia) is a joyful, upbeat song that became hugely popular in the UK in the 1970s. Its catchy melody and celebratory lyrics capture the warmth, sunshine, and holiday spirit of Spain.
The song is strongly associated with British seaside holidays, travel, and happy memories, making it ideal for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy. Many people will recognise the tune instantly and may even sing along.
Music like this can:
Trigger long-term memories
Lift mood and reduce anxiety
Encourage group singing and social connection
You might ask:
Have you ever been to Spain?
What foods or drinks do you remember?
Do you remember hearing this song on holiday or at a party?
“Y Viva España” is a perfect feel-good choice to celebrate the day — full of energy, nostalgia, and shared enjoyment ☀️🇪🇸
You could continue the discussion by asking members if any of them have holidayed in Spain. Where did they stay? Which places did they visit? What was the weather like? What were the people like? What was the food like?
You could carry on by making a list of Spanish things, perhaps in the categories of:
Culture. Examples, siesta, eating late, cafe culture, bull running
Places. Examples, Balearic islands including Majorca and Ibiza, Canaries including Tenerife and Lanzarote, Casta de Sol etc
Tourist attractions. Examples, Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Camino de Santiago, Mount Teide
Objects. Examples, sombrero, maracas, espadrilles
Food & drink. Examples, tapas, olives, sangria, rioja and of course paella
Music & dance. Examples, Spanish guitar, flamenco dance
You could play some of these songs to continue the enjoyment ...
And finally you could check out this flamenco 'Firedance', from the musical 'Riverdance'. Or check out some 'Strictly Come Dancing' Spanish dances ...
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