Kings

From 6 January...

Today is El Dia de Reis – the three Kings of the Orient. These were originally considered to be astronomers, mathematicians, or scientists who, guided by a star, came bearing gifts for the baby Jesus. The holiday is preceded the evening before by a parade in just about every city, town, and village, where the Kings ride on floats through the streets, throwing candy to those watching from the sides. In cities, the amount of candy they throw is measured in thousands of kilos.

Traditionally, because it was the Kings who brought presents for the baby Jesus, it was the Kings, rather than Santa who is not traditional here, who brought presents for children. Kids write letters to their favorite king in advance. There are special mail boxes where you can leave the letter, or you can take it to the post office. Usually a couple of days before the parade, the Kings’ pages will set up an encampment in town where children can bring their letters directly. If they are good, on the morning of the 6^th they might get what they asked for. If they are naughty, they’ll get a piece of charcoal. Years ago, this was actually a valuable gift for a child in a poor household. Now it is made of spun sugar and dyed black.

The Kings are more colorful, more exotic, and more surprising than Santa. They call them the Kings of the Orient, but Melcior comes from Europe, Gaspar comes from Asia, and Baltasar comes from Africa. Children leave things for the Kings that night, after the parade: water for their camels, and pieces of torrons and cookies and something to drink for the Kings

Sometimes the Kings arrive earlier in the day on the 5th to hold court before the parade. In that case, they will arrive together in various forms of transportation, depending somewhat on the budget of the municipality. In Barcelona and Tarragona, they arrive by boat in the harbor. In Lleida they arrive by train. I remember one year when they arrived somewhere by helicopter. For the parade, they ride on their floats with the assembled entourage which easily numbers in the hundreds, with their pages and countless other floats, bands, and drummers – all local people with the possible exception of a professional comedian or comic troupe -- and they all parade through town throwing confetti and candy. Years ago there would be crews strategically placed between acts to clean up the poop of the camels, horses, or donkeys that were in the parade. But animal welfare groups won the battle to keep live animals out of most of the parades.

When they throw candy to the crowd, there will be those who come with an umbrella and hold it upside down in order to get more than their share. I imagine those are the ones who receive pieces of charcoal for their gift at home the next morning.