how do you say "the holidays" in Spanish?

Answer 1

Ok, it's not "vacaciones". That just means vacations... that they coincidently happen when it's the holidays is another story.
It's not "dias de fiesta" either. That would mean something like "party days".
When it's the holidays, it's referred to as "dias festivos", or "festividades".

Answer 2

OK, in the US, we call "holidays" ONLY those special days on the calendar which are recognized as legal days when most of us do not work. In the UK, they use the same term "holidays" for what we ONLY call "vacation."

This is why you have received such conflicting answers. Slykchck gave it correctly - "las vacaciones" for the time a family takes off to travel, rest, etc. at any time during the year (vacation in US); and "los días de fiesta" for non-work days which almsot everyone has off from work (holidays in US).

"Los días de fiesta" has NOTHING to do with "party days." It's the correct term used by Hispanics in Mexico and California to say holidays - legal days where you don't have to go to work.

"Los días festivos" or "los días feriados" is the term used in Spain (and maybe elsewhere also).

I cannot say which term would be used in other Spanish speaking countries, but you can see that depending on the region, people will use different terms.

Answer 3

Las vacaciones= holidays

(im a spanish girl)
los dias de fiesta= party days

Answer 4

Holidays meaning vacation is "vacaciones"
Holidays such as non working days are "feriados"

Answer 5

Las vacaciones (a break from it all - like a vacation period)

"Los dias de fiesta" refers to things like Memorial day, Columbus day, etc (public holidays)

Answer 6

inesmon is the only one who got it right.

the feriados are also called festivos, depending on the country.

Answer 7

las vacaciones

Answer 8

las vacaciones

Answer 9

los días de fiesta

Answer 10

los días de fiesta