From ‘multiculti’ kings to old hags. Santa Claus’ alternatives from the south of Europe.
The holidays are over, so, rejoice, your time waiting to let it snow and everything red and white is over. However, if you are from the south of Europe, chances are, you or your younger relatives are still celebrating today. Of course, it’s hard even there to avoid the old man with white beard, but, here are four other magical creatures to show you were naughty or nice.
Spanish kids celebrate the arrival of the three Magic Kings (the Magi, the three Wise Men in biblical terms). With the Kings being, quite literally, the stuff of legends, much is not know about them, but here’s what the average Spaniard can tell you:
-Names: Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar
-Origin:
The Orient* (so, basically, anywhere from north Africa till Asia)
-Occupation:
Being Kings of somewhere
-Transportation mode:
Camel, following a star in the horizon
-Look:
Here’s where it gets interesting. Melchor is usually the proud wearer of an either white or ginger beard (the longest of all three). Gaspar has slightly darker features with brown hair and Baltasar is a usually clean shaven black man. According to some, this points out the fact that the three of them might come from different places, but this isn’t agreed upon and most spaniards would just settle for for any group of three men with varying colors. Actually, it’s not uncommon to see black makeup being used to masquerade as Baltasar, but even for the other kings, long wigs and beards are also used if the wearer is deemed not royal enough.
-How to please them:
Originally, they brought myrrh, incense and gold, but as this is probably not what you had in mind as a gift, please write them a letter before so they can pack accordingly.
Leave some food on the table overnight so that they can have a quick bite when they come to deliver your gifts. Don’t forget to leave some milk for their camels too.
Then, next day, open the gifts with your family. Preferably, while dunking some Roscón de Reyes into hot chocolate. Think of this like a huge over-sized doughnut with whipped cream in the middle and sweet fruits on top. Even the Roscón brings gifts, as there’s usually a small figurine hiding inside that gives you the right to claim your own crown, or a pebble or a small bean, which means that you should pay back for the Roscón. As you see, this is a treat that you should chew carefully!
However, if you want something more low-maintenance (because you know, one King is expensive enough, let alone three!) , the italian Befana is here for you!
-Origin:
Italy, probably in the central regions.
-Occupation:
Being one of the ugliest hags and filling kid’s socks with sweets or coal.
-Transportation mode:
Riding a broomstick and passing through the chimney.
-Look:
She always wears black and covers her head with a shawl. She is considered one of the ugliest women in the world, enough to scare many children. A classic nursery rhyme describes her as following: “The Befana comes by night / With her shoes all tattered and torn / She comes dressed in the Roman way* / Long live the Befana!”.
*Like the Spanish loose definition of Orient, italians aren’t sure how Roman that is.
-How to please her:
There is basically no way to please her. She doesn’t want to be seen, so she is happy if you will just cozily chill in your bed while your sock (hanged to the chimney) is filled with sweets, if you were good during the last year, or with coal, if you know, something went wrong. But don’t worry, over the last years, coal found a way to transform into rock candy.
So, we hope you got at least something sweet today, if you were naughty, nice or anything in between!. Soon, Omioo can help you buying some locally sourced presents.
