Three Wise Men

Spanish people have 4 significant days over the Christmas period. The first one is the night of 24th, Christmas Eve, the 25th, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and the night of the Wise Men. 

Every night of 5th of January all cities in Spain celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men. Mounted on three carriages, they make a tour through (across) the main streets of the cities giving sweets and candies to all people.

On the night of the 5th January, all the kids go to bed very early because the Wise Men will visit all houses during the night and leave presents for each family.

One or two weeks before, all kids have to write a detailed letter specifying all presents they want.

This has been a Christian tradition and the Three Wise Men have been more important than Santa Claus - who has gained importance in the last few years thanks to the globalization and media.

Despite the fact that the Pope has recently said that these Wise Men come from Andalusia, the south of Spain, this is not proven at all. It has always been said that they come from Orient, but this is just a belief.

The Wise Men, after Jesus was born, came to pay tribute to him and gave him three presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Their names are Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar (in Spanish Melchor, Gaspar y Baltasar).