The Three Kings Arrive in Madrid!
6 Jan
In Spain, the three wise men, and not Papa Noel, bring presents to the good children and leave coal for the bad ones (though some lucky kids get a visit from both parties). Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar parade into cities all across the country on January 5th and leave gifts that night, which the kids open the next morning on Epiphany, aka Twelfth Night. And in Madrid, thousands of children take to the streets to welcome the visiting monarchs from the Orient.
In the parade, the kings are preceded by floats built on Mac trucks, each one sponsored by a TV station, department store, or family attraction. The zoo’s float was covered with panda bears, reminding everyone to come see the two new cubs born just a few months ago. El Corte Inglés pushed their holiday 2010/2011 theme “Christmas Around the World.” Televisión Española dedicated a float to their children’s network. For me, what really made it a parade were the two American marching bands, complete with color guards. It’s just not a parade without a marching band.
We arrived a little late so we didn’t have front row views of the action, but we did have prime views of the real show: the crowd. Tots on dads’ shoulders are nothing compared to the inventive use of stepladders and streetlamps we witnessed. But my favorite part are the umbrellas. It was a crisp, dry evening, yet grandpas and wee ones alike were outfitted with umbrellas—for catching candy. I have seen old men elbow young children out of the way in order to get their hands on the mediocre hard candies the kings and their attendants, the pajes, throw out into the crowd. I swear that half the people could care less about the kings and just want the sweet stuff.
The other thing about the parade that blows my mind is that despite all the African immigrants living in Madrid, they can’t seem to find an actual black person to play Baltasar. This is true across Spain; in Pamplona the head of the local parade committee has insisted on playing Baltasar for years even though experienced Africans have offered to take over. There was a time when the kings were played by “famous” people, like former football players or TV stars, but these days I can’t imagine what excuse they have. So un-PC in the US…
Nonetheless, the parade is a sight worth seeing for residents and visitors alike. In spite of battling crowds, putting up with some corporate sponsorship and feeling slightly offended at the gaucheness of certain portrayals, I had fun. I couldn’t help but get carried away by the holiday mood.
