El Día de los Reyes Magos, or the Three Kings Day is taken into account to be the Spanish Christmas Day, celebrated on each the night time of the fifth of January and the day of the Three Kings which is the sixth of January.
Whereas most locations internationally shall be winding down their Christmas spirits in direction of the top of December, Spain’s are nonetheless in full swing. Particularly right here in Barcelona, the place you’ll proceed to seek out thrilling merry and vivid markets, and admire the twinkling array of Christmas lights all through the town.
Our weblog will speak you thru all the pieces you could know concerning the Day of the Three Kings in Spain, it’s historical past, the way it’s celebrated, and key traditions concerned so you’ll be able to have fun the Three Kings Day as effectively for those who fancy.
Historical past behind the Three Kings
The Three Kings come from the Bible, within the second chapter, verse 1-12 from the Gospel of St. Matthew, by which these ‘Magi’ adopted a star all the way in which from the East to Bethlehem, the Kings on this sense represented the smart males. The smart males weren’t spoken of as Kings till the third century, they usually had been renamed attributable to their wealth represented by means of their useful items that they dropped at child Jesus; gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Three Kings Day is now celebrated on the sixth of January and is also called the Epiphany day, it’s crammed with festivities. In Spain these celebrations start on the fifth of January, with every of the Kings arriving within the cities of Spain. In Barcelona the day of the Kings is an unmissable occasion, regarded as one of many greatest and most stunning in Spain.
Letters to the Three Kings
It’s custom for youngsters to put in writing letters to the three kings; Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, with their needs and their achievements. These letters can then be given to the kings in particular person on the parade in Barcelona, quickly to be defined…
Celebrating the fifth of January
On the fifth of January most cities all through Spain have fun the arrival of the three kings with varied magical festivities. In Barcelona they maintain the Three Kings Parade, also called La Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos.
The arrival of the three kings often takes place on a ship round 4pm, at Port Vell, by which they’re greeted by the town’s Mayor. With the procession following:
On this parade you will discover 1000’s of kids and adults filling the streets in anticipation of the arrival of the three kings at 6pm on the Avenue del Marquès de l’Argentera. The three kings journey 5km across the metropolis and end their parade on the Magical Fountain of Montjuïc at round 9:30pm.
The parade is stuffed with vehicles, music, and dance, and uniquely adorned floats. There are three fundamental floats which transport every of the kings and their helpers to throw candy treats into the crowds as they cross by means of. Additionally they give youngsters the chance to provide their want lists to the king for the next day of items.
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Traditions of the Three Kings Day
Following the parade, as soon as households have returned house, youngsters proceed the thrill by leaving out meals and water for the Kings and their camels. Additionally they go away a pair of sneakers or slippers out of their home windows and doorways in order that the Kings can fill these with candy treats and grant their needs.
For kids who might not have behaved so effectively, they’ll obtain candy coal, but some youngsters who behave effectively might also obtain candy coal to make sure they continue to be good within the new 12 months. The coal really comes from the legend of Carbonilla, the king who watches the kids in the course of the 12 months to seek out out whether or not they have been good or unhealthy, and the one who brings candy coal.
Celebrations on the sixth of January
The day of the Kings is one for households to come back collectively and revel in a ‘feast for a king’. The commonest and conventional deal with you will see that at your desk is the dessert Roscón de Reyes. This dessert is a candy bread cake and is crammed with cream and topped with candied fruits, that are alleged to characterize the jewels of the crown.
To make this much more thrilling, the cake has two secret parts to it, primarily a dried fava bean, and a king figurine. Those that discover the king are topped king or queen for the day, and those that discover the bean should pay for the dessert!
This particular dessert may be discovered amongst many bakeries all through Barcelona in addition to eating places who provide this in the course of the day of the three kings.
