First Timer's Luck...

My very first slice of roscón and I got the little hidden gift!!!!!!

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!

A little airplane that I have absolutely no use for! YAY!!

Bye Bye Roscones!

Holy Crap they go quick! These photos were taken at a couple of bakeries, within a 4 block radius, in our neighborhood -- around 11am. The bakeries are baking all night to open up on Reyes Magos day at 6am and people who want a recently baked roscón will get up early in the morning to stand in line. So people stand in line no matter when they go to buy the roscón -- the day before or the day of. But you can't have Reyes Magos day without a roscón. It's like Thanksgiving without the turkey.
People standing in line, in about 35 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. Locos.

Roscón de Reyes

Last night we went walking around our neighborhood and every bakery has on display hundreds of the same Christmas cake to celebrate Reyes Magos. You can't imagine the smell - mmmmmmmm!

The cake looks like an oversized donut with dried, sugared fruit. Sometimes they get fancy about it and fill the inside of the cake up with whipped cream or whipped chocolate. But the traditional cake is what you see in the picture, and always with little prizes inside. Manuel tells me that there usually is one "regalo de roscón" and whoever gets it is PENALIZED to have to pay for the damn roscón. That's not a very nice surprise, if you ask me!

Los Reyes Magos

It's almost "Reyes Magos" Day!!!
(Day of the Three Magi)

According to most forms of Christianity, the Magi were the first religious figures to worship Christ, and for this reason the story of the Magi is particularly respected and popular among many Christians. The visit of the Magi is commemorated by Catholics and other Christian churches on the observance of Epiphany, January 6.

If you remember the old testament, each magi came with a gift for the baby Jesus, as follows:

Baltazar: myrrh as a symbol of death (in the middle)
Melchor: frankincense, symbol of priestship (far left)
Gaspar: gold, symbol of kingship on earth (lower right)

Here in Spain, kids tend to receive gifts from the Reyes Magos (not from Santa Claus)!!! They write letters to the magi in hopes that they bring them gifts for having been good boys and girls. It's just like Christmas. January 6th is a national holiday and in the morning the kids open up their gifts that appear magically in the morning.

There is a large parade that is on the eve before, where the three wise men traverse the largest avenue of Madrid on their camels. The parade is just as large as our "Macy's Parade" or Thanksgiving parade. With true Spanish style, it all starts later than what an American would expect. The parade isn't at 12noon but rather at 6pm and these little kids are waiting out in the freezing cold until the Reyes Magos pass by to wave at them!

Each local neighborhood also has a parade, usually a few days before, where the 3 Magi arrive on a float and parade down the streets, throwing candies to the crowds. Here's a picture of our neighborhood's parade. Not nearly as exciting, but it's right in front of our house and we don't have to freeze our butts off to catch a few caramelitos...Yes...We were competing with the five year olds for candy...So what??!!

Christmas Lights in the City

Xmas lights above Calle Alcalá, heading towards Puerta Alcala