Christmas and Kings in Seville

            
          Christmas in Seville, Take Two

The Christmas holiday in Spain lasts a good long time. It starts just before the 25 of December, and extends for two weeks until the 6^th of January (the Epiphany, or Kings’ Day, as it is known here).

In a previous blog we talked about Christmas in Seville, and the length and extensive preparations, including the surprising effort the Sevillians put into their Belén or Nativity scenes. (See Boots of Spanish Leather -- admittedly a somewhat misleading title. ).Well, holiday events here are pretty much over. We saw the town’s astonishing Beléns; we’ve been to a couple of events at the Cathedral. Spain is something like 96% Catholic, and there are many religious events. But there is a strong secular component, as well.

Street musicians, for example. Oh, there's street musicians all year long (and in every city we've been in!). But here is one group that caught my attention.

                                             Christmas Street Muscians

I’ve lived in Californian all my life, and Paula has been there for the last 30 years, so we’re both used to the wintery images we hold of Christmas: snow men, snow-covered Christmas trees, snowflakes, Currie & Ives images of sleigh bells in the snow. The reality, of course, is that in many parts of the state Christmas is bright and sunny, often warm. And we never actually see snow in California! (OK, in the mountains, but that’s always a few hours away from where I’ve lived.) Still, we cling to these cold-weather images at Christmas time, against all climactic reality.

So it seems quite normal to see images of snowflakes and snowmen here in Seville – again, against all climactic reality (it’s warm here!). What I was NOT prepared for were the ice skating rinks. With real ice. And augmented by polar bears, igloos, and Eskimos. (So maybe I should say Inuit or some such. But let's be clear -- these are non-denominational statues dressed in parkas surrounding a fiberglass igloo, not actual native peoples. OK?) All in the bright, warm sun of Andalusia. Oh, and don’t forget the palm trees, and the orange trees, laden with bright, cheery fruit this time of year. It’s a bit of a head snapper. Go figure!

An Eskimo family that has somehow settled in downtown Seville??

A polar bear hiding out among the trees waiting for an unsuspecting skater

I love to see La Giralda, especially with penguins in the foreground!

And in another part of the city we find... another ice rink! And a Ferris wheel! And, oranges!

The night-time Avenida de la Constitucion in all its Christmas glory

More Christmas lights, La Giralda behind

We Go to the Parade

What is the terminal velocity of hard candy thrown from a float fifteen feet high?

I have no idea, but I can tell you if it hits you, it hurts! We are at the annual Three Kings’ Parade, a Big Deal here in Spain. It has all the usual components of a parade: marching bands, floats, even horses. And, in this parade, people on the floats throw candy into the crowd!

Christmas is a long holiday here. The day itself, December 25, is important, but the really big day is January 6, the Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the three kings (three Wise Men) to the newborn Jesus. In Spain it marks the end of the holiday season, and is the major gift giving day, in memory of the gifts the Kings brought. These days, though, the 5^th is the big gift-giving day, since the kids then have one more day of school holiday to enjoy their presents! In any event, the parade is held on the 5^th, possibly because the 6^th is such a special holy day, here in very Catholic Spain.

Back at the parade route, we are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the first float. In front of us we notice a family with protective booties on their shoes. What? Why? Paula asked, pointing to the booties, What’s up with that? or gestures to that effect. And we're told, Because the street gets very dirty, what with all the candy and all. (The lady used the word carmelo, which brought to mind sticky caramels.) Then we noticed another family with ordinary plastic bags tied around their feet to protect their shoes. What are we missing here?

The crowd had gathered, filling the entire street. And this is the modern, four-lane road, not the tiny lanes of the old city. In fact, the parade avoids those streets, and follows a route that takes it around the historic town, keeping to the newer part of the city with wide roadways and accommodating sidewalks. And this route is lined with five- and six-story apartment buildings, the upper balconies filled with eager children and interested adults. They’ve got a good view, I’ll bet; from down here at street level we can only guess at what’s coming.

Eventually the parade arrives, making its slow way down the street, stopping often as parades do. We see the giant star balloon with its long balloon tail marking the beginning; marching bands; horses. And, the floats. Most with kids, some with adults, everyone enthusiastically throwing handfuls of candies. And sometimes, they don’t even wait to take them out of the bag! With every float that passes, candies rain down. We disdain these candies – bad for the teeth, it’ll ruin your dinner, etc. etc. Then we notice that everyone else seems more skilled at catching them than we are. Challenge accepted! Paula proves adept at pulling candies out of the air, and half-way though the parade my pockets are bulging, in spite of the ones I’ve “sampled.”

Finally, the parade arrives! I have no idea what the "100" stands for...

One of many floats

Another of the many floats

There are “brotherhoods” and community groups that put together the floats and the marching groups, selecting a theme and designing their costumes. Black face (on men) is common; not a racial comment, just a recognition that the Kings came from the East.

                                                              Kings' Day Parade Video

Finally the last float passes, the strains of the last fife and drum team fade; the parade is over. Well, not quite. Men in Day-Glo yellow vests – utility workers – come by, holding back the crowds. Six sweepers, three on each side, with huge brooms shove the remaining candies and wrappers and empty bags into the middle of the street. Then a phalanx of huge orange street sweeping machines passes, and nothing is left in their wake but crushed candies ground into the pavement (ah, the reason for the shoe booties!). Then we have the balloon sellers, fellows holding so many helium balloons it’s a wonder they don’t float away. And finally, people squeezing one last fine memory out of the day before heading home, sacks bulging with candies.

No waste time! Clean it up NOW!

We, too, head back to our apartment. I leave handfuls of candy on the sidewalk café tables that are just a bit too far from the action, to a chorus of Gracias! from the patrons.

The sun sets and parade goers head homeward

                              Next up: Holiday is over, we're going to Portugal!