[ad_1]
Madrid, Jan 5 (EFE).- The Three Wise Men parade this Friday, like every year, through the streets of the towns and cities of Spain in colorful and festive parades that bring excitement and joy to children and adults, waiting for Tonight, the most magical night of the year, shower them with gifts.
In the morning, Melchor Gaspar and Baltasar arrived at the different cities, both by boat, by helicopter, by train, by funicular, and even by zip line, and were received by hundreds of children, eager to greet them before the parade of in the afternoon.
The cold that shakes a good part of the country did not prevent thousands of children, following a very Spanish tradition, from filling the streets and squares to receive Their Majesties of the East, who this year were accompanied by dancers, musicians, magicians and characters and animals of fantasy, which distributed thousands of kilos of candies and all kinds of goodies.
In floats, on the backs of dromedaries or horses, any means is valid for the Magi of the East, dressed to the nines, to distribute millions of toys and many other gifts on January 6, in commemoration of gold, incense and myrrh, which according to Christian tradition, they gave Jesus at birth.
The oldest parade in Spain is the one in the Alicante town of Alcoy (east), which dates back uninterruptedly to 1885, although the first time it was held was in 1866, and among the most crowded are those in Madrid, Barcelona or Seville, with dozens of floats and thousands of people participating in the festive parade.
But smaller towns also have the presence of the Wizards of the East, such as the case of Ibi in Alicante, a town with a toy tradition, which has had a parade for more than 90 years, and where Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar have, even a statue in his honor; or in the Huelva town of Higuera de la Sierra (southern Spain), which has celebrated this festival for more than a century with a peculiarity: its protagonists remain motionless throughout the entire route and represent scenes from the Bible related to the birth of Jesus .
This year, in addition, the Three Wise Men have crossed the Spanish borders, and from the Salamanca town of Fuentes de Oñoro (east) they crossed into Portugal and paraded through the Portuguese town of Vilar Formoso, despite the fact that it is not a tradition in that country; Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar were on the backs of their respective horses, while the pages traveled in some Portuguese buggies from the town of Almeida.
After watching the parade, the children and parents leave something to eat for the Three Wise Men, and even water for the camels, before going to bed and, nervously, waiting for the morning of the 6th to see the gifts that They have left them.
Although the figure of Santa Claus is increasingly established in Spain and the majority of children receive gifts on December 25, Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar have not been left aside, who with their generosity put the finishing touch of gold to the Christmas holidays.
[ad_2]
