The traditional letter that children send to the Three Kings
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When Santa Claus is already on his way back to the North Pole, the Three Kings are about to arrive. They are very punctual, and never miss their appointment, which is on the night between 5 and 6 January. Houses fill up with toys and presents for both children and adults.
"Dear Three Kings:
As I have been very good and obedient this year, I have always done my homework and I haven't fought with my brother, I would like you to bring me…".
This is how all the letters that Spanish children send every year to Melchor, Gaspar and Balthasar – the Three Kings - to ask them for their favourite presents. The only condition is that they must have been good during the year, otherwise they will find coal (of the sweet variety) when they wake up in the morning.
Melchor is the oldest one. He has white hair and a long white beard. Gaspar is blond, he also sports a beard, although it is not as long, and he is somewhat younger. Finally, Balthasar is the youngest of the three, he is black and doesn't have the long beard that his fellow kings have.
Gaspar, Melchor and Balthasar
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The Three Kings come on their camels from the East. They travel across great distances leaving presents behind for all the children. According to tradition, children should go to sleep early, so as not to be missed out, and leave something out to tempt them: milk, polvorones (Spanish Christmas sweets) or some other liquor for the Kings, and bread and water for their camels.
Their arrival is announced on the evening of the 5th by the "cabalgada", the Three Kings' parade, during which they ride across cities in their carriages greeting children and giving out sweets. Another thing that cannot be missing from the dÃa de Reyes (the Day of the Three Kings, on 6 January) is the roscón, a typical pastry inside of which a present is found (an image, a keyring…). The person who finds the present pays for the roscón.
Typically, the roscón is eaten in the family house, when its members go to pick up the presents that the Three Kings have left in their house. This is the great thing about the Three Kings, that not only do they leave presents in your very home, but they also leave something in the house for your close relatives. The only setback is that there are only two or three days left to enjoy the presents before having to go back to school.
Over the last few years, Santa Claus has also been visiting Spain. Although he is a tough competitor for the Three Kings, this Spanish tradition continues to be in good health. What has happened, is that there are now two sets of presents: Father Christmas comes first, and the Three Kings come later.
A little bit of history 
The Three Kings adoring the baby Jesus
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This Spanish tradition, which also applies in some Latin American countries, has its origins in a Bible story: Saint Matthew tells about how the baby Jesus, shortly after his birth, received a visit from some magicians who came from the East guided by a star, and how they adored him, as well as giving him gold, incense and myrrh.
Each of these presents has a special meaning: the gold represents his royal nature, the incense represents his divine nature, and the myrrh (a hard resin from the myrrh tree) reflects his future suffering and death.
However, who were the Three Kings? We only know very little about them, we don't even know their exact number. Tradition has established that they were three, one for each of the presents they brought Jesus. Maybe they were the kings of nations that were found to the east of the Mediterranean, wise men, astrologists or astronomers. The fact that they are described as "magos" identifies them with some early form of religious authority.
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