Once the end of year festivities are over and the New Year begins, in Spain there is still the most important day for the children. Every year, on January 6th, the Day of the Three Wise Men is celebrated.
The Three Wise Men were in charge of going to the manger in Bethlehem following a star that showed them the way to see the Baby Jesus, who had just been born. When they arrived, these three wise men offered him three gifts: gold, incense and myrrh.
For this reason, every year, when Christmas approaches, all the children begin to write their letters to one of the kings (or to all three): Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar. In these letters, the children tell the Kings how well they have behaved throughout the previous year and ask them for the gifts they would like to have on January 6th. It is assumed that the better the child has behaved during the year, the better the gift he will receive that morning. But all children know that if they have behaved very badly, they risk receiving a piece of coal. The Three Wise Men travel by camel every year from the East to visit all the children.
On the night of January 5, after having seen the Three Wise Men’s Parade in the city, the children run home to clean their shoes and put them in a good place in the living room. Only in this way will the Three Wise Men know who to leave each gift for. As they come from far away and the Three Wise Men have a lot of work during the early hours of January 5 and 6, all families have the custom of leaving them a little water, nougat or milk so that they and their camels can regain strength. Thus, when the morning of January 6th, the Day of the Three Wise Men, arrives, the children of each house get up nervously earlier than usual to run to the place where they left their shoes and discover what gift Their Majesties the Three Wise Men from the East have given them. In addition, everyone discovers with joy that there is no more water left and that the nougat has been eaten, a sign that the kings have recovered their strength to return home. In this way, on the Day of the Three Wise Men, excitement floods every house and makes everyone know, little by little, that Christmas is over… until next year.
I remember a year when I was a little girl my mother always reminded me of the Three Wise Men so I would behave better -I was always running like a squirrel. One year, I received a doll, she was like 50cm tall (she was just a little shorter than me!). Her eyes were painted in her face, her hair was also painted and needless to say her mouth was also painted, fortunately everything was in the right place! I named her Cristina. I loved her so much and played with her hours and hours. Fortunately she survived many years!
It was not until some years had passed by that I realised there were many dolls like my Cristina at the toys factory where my parents used to work. What a coincidence, right???
I love the 6th January due to the enchantment of that night, go to bed early the 5th and getting up as early as possible on 6th to find that three personages, the Three Wise Men had visited my house and left me some gifts. That was always a magic night… and it still is, as long as I keep living without loosing my inner child.
