the appropriately colorful history of Las Fallas spans centuries. The fiery tradition that gave way to the magnificent celebration of Las Fallas traces its humble origins to 1497, when simple artisans and carpenters took a simple but long-lasting initiative:During the winter months, they would be forced to spend long hours every day working by the flickering light of oil lamps, which hung, more or less precariously, from wooden structures. But with the arrival of the spring and the lengthening of days, lamps and their structures became unnecessary. That is when it occurred to some inspired, or maybe just clumsy worker, to send it all up in flames and let it burn. The celebration was immediately adopted to celebrate the arrival of warmer, longer days, and it was dedicated to San José (Saint Joseph), the patron saint of carpenters.