Santo Tomas (Spanish for Saint Thomas) festivity is one of the most important in San Sebastian. Every 21st of December, the people of San Sebastian celebrate this festival and the city streets are filled with stalls where txistorra is sold. But you will not only find txistorra stalls, there are others which sell Talos (corn bread with txistorra or cheese filling) and stalls where you can buy hand-made products from the hamlet people.
According to tradition, the hamlet people came down to the city on Saint Thomas day so as to pay and collect the rents for their lands. This story dates back to 1351 but the day still continues being celebrated as one of the biggest for the city.
Nowadays, even though there are hamlet men that keep on setting up their stalls to sell the natural products they elaborate at home, most stalls all over the city are set by members of schools, societies and businesses who take part in a sort of lottery organised by the local government in order to be granted the right to set up their stall. The privileged ones can place their stand in a location previously assigned. During the whole day, they sell pintxos and txistorra-filled baguettes, and all citizens approach the stalls to eat and have a good time. Indeed, this day is a working one but most people take it off so as to enjoy the festival.
The hot spots where txistorra stalls are placed are the Constitution Square in the Old Town and Guipuzcoa Square. These two squares are the ones where the most people come together to taste the famous tixtorra, although you will find many other places in which it is sold. What is more, many San Sebastian bars give away a free txistorra pintxo with each ordered drink.
The sow raffle is just another appeal of the festival. Every year, a sow is overindulged during the previous months so that, when Saint Thomas day arrives and it is handed in to the winner of the raffle, it is undoubtedly the plumpiest animal in town.
