Immigrate to Spain by Buying Property and experience the joys of life in Spain: On January 6th, this marks the first celebration of the New Year in Spain. For many children, this is one of the most important days of the year—El Dia de los Reyes, Three Kings' Day (also known as the Epiphany).
According to the Bible, after the birth of Jesus, three wise men from the East observed the stars and learned of the birth of the Son of God. They traveled tirelessly on camels to present their gifts, arriving at Bethlehem on January 6th. They offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh, marking the first time Jesus was revealed to Gentiles, thus making it an important day.
In many Western countries influenced by Santa Claus, parents give gifts to children on Christmas. However, in Spain, it is on Three Kings' Day that children eagerly anticipate their gifts. On the evening of January 5th, many cities hold parades featuring floats, elves, circus clowns, stilt walkers, and even popular characters from cartoons, but the most anticipated float is that of the Three Kings. As the floats pass by, the kings throw down many candies and small gifts, and both adults and children scramble to collect them, as if on this day, everyone returns to their childhood.
At home in the evening, children always place their gift bags or socks in the most visible spots, even preparing indicators for the Three Kings, fearing that the kings might not find the right place to leave the gifts, and then they go to bed early, waiting for the arrival of the gifts.
On the morning of January 6th, obedient children will receive gifts prepared by the Three Kings; however, disobedient children usually receive candy shaped like "coal." Although it is candy, its dark and ugly appearance is certainly a big disappointment for the children, serving as a warning that they must behave better in the coming year to receive the gifts they desire.
In addition to watching the parades, collecting candies, and receiving gifts, it is customary for everyone to buy seasonal pastries to enjoy on this day, known as Roscón de Reyes. Although it is essentially a very ordinary cake, its round hollow shape symbolizes a crown, and the fruits or nuts placed on top represent the jewels of the crown. Many bakeries also include a paper crown as a decoration with the cake. A special feature is that each Roscón de Reyes contains a hidden bean (haba) and a small gift. The person who finds the bean must pay for the Roscón, while the person who finds the small gift will have good luck for the entire year (of course, be careful not to choke)!
