In Spain, Christmas is just the beginning of the festive season and it’s far from the only important celebration. For many Valencians and Spaniards, the real highlight of the holidays comes after Christmas, with Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve) and El Día de Los Reyes (Three Kings´ day) a treasured tradition that holds even greater significance than Christmas.

While Christmas is a time for family gatherings, gifts and festive meals, it is the arrival of the Three Kings on January 6th that truly evokes excitment for both children and adults, as this celebration is really about getting all of the family together to celebrate.

Our blog this week will explore the traditions of New Year’s Eve and The Three Kings, offering a glimpse into how Spanish families celebrate these joyful occasions. We’ll also take a closer look at the unique customs that make these days so special.

The 12 Grapes Tradition

One of the most famous and widely followed traditions is the eating of 12 grapes at midnight. As the clock chimes 12 times, marking the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one, Spaniards eat one grape for each chime. Each grape represents good luck for one of the upcoming 12 months. It’s believed that successfully eating all 12 grapes in sync with the chimes will bring prosperity and happiness in the new year.

This tradition is not only about luck but also adds excitement and challenge to the celebration, as people try to keep up with the rapid chimes of the clock, often gathering around televisions to watch live broadcasts of the countdown, most famously from Puerta del Sol in Madrid. The origins of this tradition are said to date back to the early 20th century, possibly started by grape growers in Alicante to promote their surplus harvest, but it has since become an indispensable part of Spanish New Year’s Eve.

Red underwear

Another fascinating custom involves wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve. This tradition is linked to love, passion, and good luck. It’s actually believed that wearing red underwear as you welcome the New Year will help attract love and enhance romantic relationships in the coming year. The tradition is thought to have ancient roots in symbolism, where red has long been associated with life, energy, and protection.

Some people also believe that there is a twist! That for red underwear to bring good luck, it’s said that it must be gifted to you by someone else rather than purchased for yourself. This adds an extra layer of fun to the tradition, as many people exchange red underwear as gifts before New Year’s Eve!

Gold in champagne

Gold in champagne is a New Year’s Eve tradition rooted in the belief that it brings good luck, wealth, and prosperity for the coming year. This tradition involves dropping a small gold item, often a gold coin or piece of jewelry, into a glass of champagne before midnight. After the toast, you sip the champagne, and the gold is believed to attract good fortune.

Some versions of this tradition also emphasize drinking the champagne before midnight to ensure that the luck is sealed for the entire year. In some cultures, gold symbolizes wealth and abundance, so incorporating it into the celebratory toast adds a symbolic element of inviting financial success for the New Year.

Three Kings`Day

The holiday of Reyes, or El Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Day), is celebrated on January 6th in many Spanish-speaking countries and marks the arrival of the Three Wise Men (Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar) who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. The traditions surrounding this holiday are full of excitement for children, as they receive gifts from the Kings in a similar way to how Santa Claus delivers gifts at Christmas. Here’s a breakdown of some of the main Reyes traditions:

The night before Reyes

Putting out shoes: Children leave their shoes out, often by the door, window, or under the Christmas tree, so that the Three Kings can fill them with presents and sweets overnight.

Food and drinks for the Kings and their camels:  Children will also leave food and drinks for the Kings and their camels. It’s common to set out a glass of milk for the camels, and some cookies, candy, or other snacks for the Kings as a gesture of hospitality. Some people may also leave carrots for the camels to eat too.

Parades (Cabalgata de los Reyes): In many places, there are lively parades on the evening of January 5th, known as the Cabalgata de los Reyes. The Three Kings ride through the streets on floats or horses, throwing candy to children in the crowd. This is a highly anticipated event and marks the official start of Reyes celebrations.

The morning of Reyes

On the morning of January 6th, children wake up to find that the Three Kings have left gifts for them, much like Santa does on Christmas morning. The presents are placed in or around their shoes and under the tree. It is also very common for children to visit the homes of their extended family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, on Reyes. During these visits, children often receive money from their parents and in Valencia, this is know as «estrenas»—small gifts or money which is usually given on this special day.

Roscón de Reyes:

A special tradition is the eating of the Roscón de Reyes, a round, sweet bread or cake decorated with candied fruits, meant to resemble a king’s crown. Inside the roscón, two surprises are hidden:

A small figurine of a king or baby Jesus and  a bean or some other small object.

The person who finds the figurine in their slice is crowned «king» or «queen» for the day, while the person who gets the bean may be required to pay for the roscón or host the next year’s celebration. It seems like a fair deal, right?