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Hi from Maspalomas!
And happy Three Kings Day, if you celebrate it. Also known as Epiphany, this is the day Christians celebrate the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem, where they bowed down in front of the newborn God, the son of Mary and Joseph.
The three Wise Men (Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar), according to the Gospel of Matthew, followed a bright star and brought gifts to the Son of God (gold, frankincense, and myrrh).
Spanish children, as already seen at the Gáldar Christmas market, send their letters not to Jesus or Santa Claus, but to those foreign kings who traveled all the way from Arabia, the Orient, and Africa to greet royalty greater than themselves.
On the evening of January 5th, kids polish their shoes in the hope that the kings will leave presents the next morning (a tradition elsewhere associated with Saint Nicholas). The naughty ones might get just a piece of coal or a black lump of hard sugar.
Another exciting thing is happening on the eve before El Día de los Reyes Magos, just before the kids are off to bed – Cabalgata de Reyes, or Three Kings Parade.
The arrival of the Three Kings is celebrated all over Spain, and I had an opportunity to witness it myself in Maspalomas yesterday. You can join the experience through the freshly published Pipeway Walk video that follows the procession between Yumbo Center and San Fernando Park.
Marching bands, dance groups, roller skaters, floats, and cartoon characters form a colorful parade crew that distributes candies, light sticks, and hope for better presents the next morning, from the King and/or Queen on parental duty at home.
The new year has officially begun. How did you march into 2026? Did you make any wishes yourself? Maybe some resolutions?
Over the weekend, I prepared Pipeaway‘s own annual parade or epiphany, if you will – the 2025 year review. There are no candies or toys inside, but you might find an article or a few that you might have missed. This grand yearly overview features Pipeaway’s most popular posts, but also some accolades given to the favorite country, city, accommodation, and food experience of the year! Check it out, and let me know if you’d consider visiting any of the suggestions.
As for the Three Kings Day, I also call it my Last Name Day (Kralj means ‘king’ in Croatian). When you think of it, I did end up in Maspalomas by following the Star myself, the Sun. Sadly, I don’t bring gold, frankincense, or myrrh. But hopefully, glimpses into the extraordinary world we live in can also be considered a small present.
Wishing you a joyful, successful, and healthy 2026!
Have a royal week,
Ivan Kralj
Pipeaway.com
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