One of the cool things about living in a different country is the opportunity to experience local cultures and traditions. And tonight just so happens to be one of those interesting local traditions.

Christmas is a definitely a 'thing' here in Spain, but the night of December 24th is not the main event. Santa exists for the local Spanish kids but it's more of an afterthought due to global commercialism and advertising. The families that I know give a few small things to their kids on Christmas Day, however the true magic happens on the night of January 5th, because ... wait for it ... that is when the camels come.

I'm so not kidding. Actual camels.

And the only reason the camels are important is because they are carrying the Three Wise Men. And truth be told, the only reason the Three Wise Men are important is because they are carrying gifts for the Spanish children. Even though the Three Wise Men are mentioned in the book of Matthew, my feeling is there is as much religious gravity around Three Kings as there is around Santa Claus.

I had a long talk with one of my co-workers about how they celebrate El Día de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings) in their family. It seemed pretty typical so I'll just copy and paste from wikipedia.org.

Before going to bed on the eve of January 6, children polish their shoes and leave them ready for the Kings' presents to be put in them. The next morning presents will appear under their shoes, or if the children are deemed to have misbehaved during the year, coal (usually a lump of hard sugar candy dyed black, called Carbón Dulce). Most towns in Spain arrange colorful parades representing the arrival of the Reyes Magos to town so children can see them in their camels or carriages before they go to bed. The oldest of this parades is held in Alcoy, Alicante – Alacant, Valencia, which has hosted an annual parade since 1885. Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their camels. In Spain, children typically receive presents on this day, rather than on Christmas, though this tradition has changed lately, and children now receive presents on both days.

We've previously been to one of these parades; think of a combination of a Carnival parade and a Thanksgiving Day parade (except at the end it's not Santa but the Three Wise Men). We're not planning on attending tonight; once was enough for us.

Needless to say, our kids will not be putting out their shoes tonight, but it's fascinating to see what forms Christmas takes around the world.