Today was yet more proof that the Spaniards love their festivities. On the 6th of January Spain celebrates Three Kings Day, which is really just another continuation of the Christmas/New Year's Celebration.
On the night of the 5th Spaniards gather for a huge parade throughout their city to welcome the three wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus. As the elaborately decorated floats pass by, children dressed up like middle eastern royalty throw handfuls of candy into the crowds. The children in the crowds then rush forward to gather up the goodies, which they quickly stash into large plastic bags as if they were trick-or-treating. Some of the adults did the same.
After the procession of 'Arabian nights vs. Willy Wonka' floats, the three wise men appear, each of whom looks like a cross between Aladdin and Santa Claus. They throw out yet even more candy leaving a trail of kids behind them, who pick at the ground like hungry chickens.
Fireworks and a balloon release ensue and then at around 9pm everyone is off to eat dinner, in true Spanish form.
What's so great about these kings is that they are the ones who bring the gifts to the Children of Spain. Saint Nick is just another jolly guy in a red suit. On Christmas day, children might receive a little 'stocking-stuffer' or the like, but the real gifts come after the kings arrive. Tonight they will put milk and biscuits under the Christmas tree for the wise men, and water for their camels. Supposedly they even put out their best pair of shoes to be filled with presents. Hmm...interesting.
I may have to put this little tradition to the test. Maybe the wise men will leave me a shoe full of the only gift that I think would fit into a shoe...euros!
Wow, you should stop to describe three kings stuff like you are doing! You are showing the world how inculture is your nation? there are not public universities in US? The three kings are older and have much more tradition than your ridicolous red fat old man called santa. In fact your chirstmas is wrong from the beggining, you should realize American chrismast is a new, empty, no sense, ingsinificant party, why a red fat guy come flying from the north pole to celebrate Jesus was born?? where is the sense of this? Unless we are reprucing what history say, but you guys, are doing a mix betwenn jesus and Santa witch is just a joke, a ridiculous mix like coke and vainilla. Read more my friend, so you can underestand ther world better.
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