Do you guys celebrate The Day of the Kings where you are?

Widely known as Epiphany, January 6 has always flown under my radar here in Spain. I’ve never really seen it as anything other than the extra days attached to the end of Christmas that we get off from work. But that’s because I’ve never had kids before.

Here, El Día de los Reyes is all about the rug rats. This is the day that kids traditionally get their “Christmas” presents. But thanks to the commercialization of the holiday, everyone seems to be exchanging gifts on December 25 now. Anyway, kids are supposed to shine their shoes and leave them out so the three wise men know who’s been good and for whom they should leave gifts. Very sweet.

The presents are all well and good, but what really sets King’s Day apart is the rocking parade. Every single kid in the entire region gathers around the center of Barcelona to see the three kings, along with countless stilt walkers, belly dancers, fire breathers, animal trainers, and tribal warriors marching along the 5 km (3 mile) parade route, all the while waving and throwing candy to the throngs of miniature onlookers. Everyone scrambles and shoves to catch the candy as if they were throwing out wads of cash. Some kids who are tasked with tossing out candy from the floats seem to get real enjoyment from spitefully throwing handfuls at people as hard as they can. The place is a madhouse. They are pretty tasty, though. Oh yeah, and then there’s the camels.

Emily had a great time watching her very first Reyes parade. She spent the entire time either on my shoulders or in my arms. She would have been swallowed by the masses if I attempted to let her stand on her own. My back paid the price the next day, but it was worth it just to see her excited little face as she waved frantically to the passing performers in an attempt to get them to wave back. An Arabian princess blew her a kiss. It made her evening.