I landed here in Alicante the early morning of Jan. 4, a beautiful and warm Saturday. The weekend to follow was filled with sightseeing, pastries, a lot of walking and even more jet lag. What I didn’t know was that the upcoming Monday, Jan. 6, is what is known as Día de Reyes here in Spain. I had arrived just in time for one of the biggest holiday celebrations of the year. Looking back, I could not have asked for a better way to jump right into a culture than to instantly be a part of something so important to them. Just when I thought my Christmas festivities had come to an end, I got to do it all over again!

Día de Reyes, “Day of Kings” in English, or otherwise known as Epiphany, is celebrated on Jan. 6, the 13th day of Christmas. It is a Catholic tradition that remembers and celebrates the Three Wise Men and their adoration for baby Jesus. The legend tells of the three kings, Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar, who traveled from the East to Jerusalem to worship the newborn prophet. The holiday is spent feasting on traditional meals with family, similar to how people often celebrate Christmas in the United States. Gift giving is also a big part of the holiday, as it reenacts the gift giving performed by the kings. Rather than Santa Claus coming, young children wake up to gifts from the three kings waiting for them. For Spaniards, this holiday is as important, if not more important, than Christmas Day itself.

If there is one thing Spaniards know how to do right, it is celebrate. For Día de Reyes specifically, the roads were lined with people to watch the celebratory parades. For a few nights in a row, floats carrying people dressed as religious figures, characters from children’s movies and other fun costumes paraded down the street. They were led by police officers, firefighters, dancers, blow-up character costumes and even bands. A crowd of hundreds of people, stretching miles long, huddled along the streets and sang along to the songs while fighting over loose candy. There were kids on their parents’ shoulders and a smile on everyone’s face. The intricate costumes, bright colors, loud music and atmosphere was truly mesmerizing and so much fun.

The public celebration wasn’t the only thing I got to be a part of, as my host family celebrated the holiday as well. We had a small Christmas tree decorating the living room and kept up with an advent calendar leading up to the day. Due to having a young host sister, I even got to watch the kings’ gift giving in action. When we woke up on Día de Reyes, I got to watch her open her gifts, and I even received one myself. A pair of earrings from the kings, a gift I will forever cherish.

Not only was it the warmest welcome, but it serves as a reminder of one of the coolest experiences of my life. I feel so lucky to have been a part of such a celebration, and see up close and personal what this holiday means to Spain. People were so welcoming and excited to share this piece of their lives with me. I am so grateful to have experienced my first, but hopefully not my last, Día de Reyes in Spain. An absolute must if given the opportunity!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: ALI Abroad: University of Alicante