The celebration of the festival of Christmas in Spain is quite different to what we see in countries like the US and the UK. For one Christmas in Spain has not been commercialized to the extent that it has in other countries and though Christmas lights and Christmas gear all feature in the celebration of the festival in Spain, they appear in stores only in the first week of December unlike in other countries where they are up and running in the first week of October itself.
Christmas trees do figure in the Spanish celebrations of Christmas but they are set up in conjunction with miniature nativity scenes called Belénes which depict the life in Bethlehem and always include figurines of Baby Jesus and his parents Joseph and Mary as well as figurines of the three Kings, Baltasar, Melchior and Gasper for these three Kings figure prominently the Spanish festival called the Feast of Epiphany which is celebrated on the 6th of January all over Spain.
In Spain and other countries in South America where is considerable Spanish influence children look forward to this Feast of Epiphany rather than Christmas as according to Hispanic traditions gifts are exchanged on Epiphany rather than on Christmas. Moreover these gifts are born by the Reyes Magos or three wise men who perform the duties of Santa Clause in the Latin world. In every town and city in Spain there is a Procession of the Three Kings which is known as Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos which is usually held on the 5th of January to welcome the Reyes Magos who shower the crowds with sweets.
Children usually leave their shoes which are often filled with straw on their windowsills on this night as they receive gifts on the morning of the 6th of January which is the day of the feast. Spanish children usually get token gifts on Christmas while they receive their real bounty on the morning of the Feast of Epiphany. It is believed that the king named Baltasar actually does all the gift giving and since he rides a donkey the children set out some straw in their shoes for the animal.
On the day of the procession Spanish bakeries also bake a special treat which takes the form of a cream filled donut shaped cake called roscon de reyes. This cream filled cake always has surprise located within its interior – a small plastic figurine of a king and according to custom whoever finds the king in his piece of the roscon de reyes has to pay for the entire cake.
The Procession of the Three Kings in various cities and towns in Spain
Madrid
The Procession of Three Kings in Madrid usually involves thirty carriages which are filled with 7000 kilos of sweets. These carriages usually travel along the streets from Retiro Park to the Plaza Mayor via Sol. During the procession the Kings and their various helpers shower sweets on the huge crowds who gather on the streets of Madrid to view the procession. At the final destination of the procession of the Three Kings there a usually number of theatrical activities for the children. If you plan to attend the 2009 procession of Three Kings in Madrid why not consider the great rates being offered by the Regente Hotel conveniently located steps away from the Gran Via in downtown Madrid.
Barcelona
In the coastal Catalan city of Barcelona the Kings arrive by boat hence the crowds gather on the steps of the Moll de Fusta Harbor to welcome them. The first sightings of the King’s boat are welcomed with a firework display and the sounding of fog horns from the flotilla which gathers in the port for the occasion and as the King’s disembark they are further felicitated with a 21 gun salute. The procession of the Three Kings then continues its journey towards the city centre accompanied by the Mayor and the Metropolitan guard until it culminates at the fountain of Montjuïc which is floodlit for the occasion. The Catalonia Rubens Hotel which is located close to many of Barcelona’s many renowned landmarks is the place to stay if you are considering experiencing the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos in this Catalan city.
Malaga
In Malaga all the activity is centered on the town center where the Kings lead a colorful parade as they dole out tons of sweets to the crowds. The Kings first arrive at the port on the evening of January the 5th and once they have reached their floats they are greeted by the children of Malaga. A specially appointed child reads out a letter to every King requesting presents for the children of Malaga and the procession then rolls out on its route from the Paseo del Parque to the Town Hall. The staffs of the main post office in Malaga are responsible for the other festivities that feature entertainers, singers, and illusionists which are associated with the celebrations. Try the AC Malaga Palacio Hotel if you need a place to stay when you are in Malaga for the celebrations.
Palma de Mallorca
The Kings arrive by Sea on the Balearic island of Palma de Mallorca too as they disembark at the Port Vell. They then set out in huge ornate floats which are decorated with cartoon characters and Christmas paraphernalia. The procession proceeds through the streets of Palma as the Kings throw sweets to the families who gather to watch the celebrations. The Sumba Mallorca Hotel is a good bet if you are going to be on this beautiful island over the New Year’s eve and after for the Three Kings procession.
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This entry was posted on Monday, January 5th, 2009 at 12:01 am and is filed under Europe, Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 6th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Loved the site, very informative.
Was on Holiday with my Family in Lanzarote on the three kings Festival and needed to know
January 8th, 2009 at 2:24 am
Thanks Rebecca
January 8th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I prefer celebrations of Christmas that is not so commercialized as many countries have currently made it. Christmas should be about spending time with family and friends and being happy for the great things we have in our lives, not an excuse to boost fourth-quarter sales.
August 20th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
This is nice to know that there are still countries who celebrate Christmas with full solemnity and not focused on commercial things.Thanks for the article,kudos to you!
September 26th, 2009 at 3:20 am
I tried that cake and it taste great. Really like Spanish food and drinks. Very good for relaxing vacation.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
My ticket is booked for 3 weeks in Spain next year!
November 19th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Spain is probably my favorite place to travel to. Exotic, adventurous, fun and full of flavor! Thanks for the nice writeup!
November 25th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
First of all that cake looks absolutley delicious! My husband and I were just thinking about where we wanted to spend our first Christmas this year (we love to travel)….it sounds like Spain would be an amazing choice!