After opening the gifts from los reyes magos, it’s time to enjoy an elaborate lunch comprised of multiple courses and plenty of post-meal chatter, known as sobremesa.Ī typical Three Kings Day lunch in Spain will likely start with some appetizers such as cheese and cured meats. Throughout the holiday season, Spanish families enjoy multiple feasts that last for hours. (But only if they’ve been good-just like Santa Claus, los reyes magos bring coal for those on the naughty list!) Traditional food for Three Kings Day in Spain When kids throughout Spain wake up on the morning of the 6th, they find gifts from the Three Kings ready to open. Much like the traditional milk and cookies for Santa Claus and his reindeer, Spanish children often set out plates of food or sweets for los reyes magos. The kings’ camels also receive dried grass or hay from the traditionalists, or milk and bread if those aren’t handy! Los reyes magos traditionally bring gifts for Spanish children during the night on January 5. Los Reyes Magos bring holiday cheer to all of Spain! Photo credit: Universidad de Navarra January 6: The arrival of los reyes magos Some adults even get in on the fun and will hold upside-down umbrellas to catch as much candy as possible! They throw goodies, usually candy or sweets, down to the children. These parades are truly a sight to behold! Along with dancers, musicians, and puppeteers, the Kings ride on camels or elaborate floats. Spanish families line the streets of their hometown to get a glimpse of the cabalgata de los reyes magos, or Three Kings Day parade. On January 5, parades take place throughout the country to celebrate the arrival of the kings. Celebrating Three Kings Day in Spain today January 5: The Three Kings Day paradeįestivities officially start the day before the actual feast day of los reyes magos. However, Three Kings Day is easily the more important of the two, and the day when just about everyone in Spain will be in the gift-giving spirit. As a result, some children get gifts on both December 25 and January 6. In recent years, some Spanish families have begun to embrace the Santa tradition as well. When the tradition of Santa Claus bringing gifts to children on Christmas Day became popular in some countries centuries ago, Spain followed suit, but used los reyes magos as the gift-bringers instead. The Three Wise Men have been honored in various European countries since the Middle Ages. Their names were Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar, and they came with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Read on to learn more about this beloved Spanish holiday tradition! Who are “los reyes magos”?Īccording to Christian tradition, three wise men came to visit the newborn baby Jesus shortly after his birth. While some Spanish families have also embraced the Santa tradition in recent years, it’s los reyes magos who are the most important. They’re the ones who bring Spanish children their gifts the night before Three Kings Day in January. Instead, it’s the Three Wise Men-or los reyes magos-who take center stage during the winter holidays. In Spain, Santa Claus isn’t the star of the show when the holiday season rolls around. This blog post was originally posted on Decemand was updated on November 20, 2020.
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