My first time spending Christmas in Europe was pretty normal. My family met me in Scotland just before Christmas Eve and we spent the holidays in Great Britain in much the same way we would have spent it back in the states. We opened presents on Christmas morning, had brunch as a family Christmas Day and then felt very English going shopping on boxing day with the millions of other off-work Brits.
So you can imagine my shock when I arrived in Spain 10 days later to a country full of children who had yet to receive their Christmas gifts. Decorations, though being slowly taken down in England and France, were vibrant and even seemed to be getting bigger in Spain. What on earth was going on?
Have you ever heard that song, the Twelve Days of Christmas? Duh. Ok, let me rephrase. Have you ever THOUGHT about what the Twelve Days of Christmas are? Because I hadn’t before I found out the hard way when I was living it.
You see, as the old story goes, Jesus was born and the star shone over his manger letting the Three Wiseman know where to bring the gifts. It took them 12 days to get there. So starting on December 26th, for 12 days, children celebrate the coming of the tres Reyes Magos. Rather than having a Santa Claus type figure, the children of Spain write their Christmas wish list letters to one (or all) of the three Wiseman.
Calbagata de los Reyes - MalagaOn the eve of January 5th la noche de los tres Reyes Magos and the 11th day of Christmas, all of the children hit the streets with their families for the parade. Before leaving, the children of Spain pick their largest pair of shoes and set them by the fireplace or under the Christmas tree along with a glass or small bucket of water for the camels and a glass or small flask of sherry left for the Kings. The children go out to the parade where there are floats, performer, dancers, musicians and most importantly, the three kings (Melchor, Gazpar and Baltasar), each carried on a paso much like those used to carry the statues during Semana Santa. The only parade I was privileged enough to be a part of was the parade in Malaga, which I assume has a bit more Moorish influence and thus explains the hundreds of camels, jewel adorned elephants, monkeys and beautiful horses that marched down the main street.
Camel procession TenerifeAnyway, after the parade, there is a large feast, eaten either out at a restaurant or in someone’s home. There are traditional foods like jamon (usually pata negra), polvorones, and roscos navidaños (a traditional ring shaped sweet bread or cake) and drinks (sherry, obviously, or it wouldn’t be Andalucian) and sing Spanish Christmas Carols, like the zambomba. While the families are out celebrating, the Kings are said to visit each house and leave presents under the tree or in the shoes of the children of the household.
Roscón de Reyes - King's CakeOn January 6th, la fiesta de los Reyes (or Reyes Magos), a giant breakfast is cooked with the Three Kings’ Cake or Roscón de Reyes being the main event, which is a sweet cake with a small gift and a bean baked into the middle. The one who finds the gift (usually a folded up paper crown) is king/queen for the day and the one who ends up with the bean is the unlucky person burdened with providing the following year’s King’s cake. Presents are opened, general family chaos ensues, and from here it looks like any other typical Western Christmas Day, only it seems to be 12 days late.
As times change, and the world becomes a smaller and more uniform place, many families in Spain are beginning to acknowledge a Santa Claus and giving gifts on Christmas Day. Some families even celebrate both. But this is one of those traditions I think the Spanish have got right. The story behind the Eve and Day of Epiphany makes a hell of a lot more sense than some fat man dressed in red velour coming down my chimney in a sleigh pulled by reindeer (even in Texas? Those things would heatstroke before they hit the border!) I’m going with the Spanish on this one.
Felices Fiestas!