Can someone tell me about this holiday and how it is celebrated in Spain? Does everyone exchange gifts or is it mainly for kids? Do children have school this week or is it still part of the Christmas holidays? Do the three kings hang out in malls and meet children and have their pictures taken like Santa?

Muchas gracias!

it goes up today, and I cant wait to see on tv this time. it is full of history, going back to the baby Jesus, and the three wise kings who brought gifts to him ,it is mainly for kids but many adults are kids ::)

they are off school if I can remember until the three wise kings day; Spanish gives their gifts at this day although more and more modern ways they are starting to do it at Christmas day too, Santa invasion....yes yes yes !!! I want a picture too ::)

When you say "It goes up today", what does that mean? What, exactly, is televised on tv for today? (For example, I was in Spain last Easter and saw some processions for Good Friday on tv. Do you watch the kings (or people dressed as the kings) somewhere on tv?)

More on this later, but you can watch Madrid's Cabalgata de Reyes live online from 6:30pm to about 9pm at http://www.RTVE.es .



I'm off NOW to see my district's Cabalgata de Reyes, which begins at 5pm. Gotta go! Will take some photos.

Saludos, MadridMan

Read MadridMan's Newest Blog Entry: "Cabalgata de Reyes Magos in Madrid 2010"

Did you all get to watch the Cabalgata de Reyes Magos wherever you are? I watched my neighborhood Cabalgata in person and then went home to watch the Madrid City Cabalgata on TV. Did anyone watch it online?

I was happy to watch the kids scramble for the candies. But what surprised me was the number of grandparents also dipping down to grab them for their grandkids!

Saludos, MadridMan

grandparents are the same as children. MY GOD !!!!!

Great Blog, MM!

I watched it and loved it....

I remember the grandmas taking umbrellas to the cabalgata and inverting it so that they could "catch" candy into the bowl of their umbrella....priceless!

Hopefully the Spaniards might correct me but Reyes Magos is/was mainly to give gifts to children but now all people exchange gifts on this day, both old and young, similar (or same) to our Christmas day gift-opening rituals.

Children went back to school today (11 January) - but because of the snow they were recommended to stay home.

I've never seen any Magic Kings/Wise Men in malls here. I think that'd probably be somewhat sacrilegious.

On the 6th of January TVE broadcasts a classical music concert from Vienna. Apart from that, I'm not sure. Normal broadcasting does not take place because few people are watching.

Saludos, MadridMan