Christmas+and+the+Three+Wise+Men

====Christmas Eve is celebrated on the night of December 24, the day before Christmas (December 25). It is the Christian celebration (Jesus was born) but also the atheist people celebrate it. It is quite common a family meeting dinner. In this dinner: ====


 * ====Sing carols: songs with lyrics referring to Christmas, which is traditionally sung in December. Usually accompanied by instruments like the zambomba, tambourine, drum... ====
 * ==== Eat nougat, marzipan, “polvorones” and other sweets. ====



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El niñito Dios.
Here, you can listen the carol:


 * In our town (in the square of the town hall), every year they make a "portal de belen" in a real size".

Hear, you can watch the video:

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==== The“nochevieja” is the last night of the calendar, from 31 December to 1 January (New Year's Eve). In Spain the tradition of “nochevieja” is the twelve grapes, since 1909. It consists of eating a grape each stroke of the the clock from Puerta Del Sol (Madrid, it is the MOST important) at 12 pm on 31 December. People aren't in front of a clock, they can watch it in the television instead. After that, it is very common to welcome the year with all the family and call everybody.Then toast with champagne, sparkling wine or cider. ====


 * ==== If you don’t eat the twelve grapes in time, you will have a year of bad luck. ====
 * ==== It is fashionable to wear red underwear like panties, a garter, underpants, etc. ====

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The Three Wise Men
==== The Three Wise Men are the visitors after the birth of Jesús, they come from other countries to give him rich symbolic gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Often The Three Wise Men are in shopping centers, where children have the opportunity to take a picture sitting on their knees and give them the letters with the presents they want. Normally, the pages help The Three Wise Men. ====

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 * In some places **“La Cabalgata de Reyes”** is organized on January 5, during which the wise men ride camels or go on floats with luxurious dresses and jewels.


 * ====On **6th January** is national holiday. That day, children and adults enjoy their presents, previously placed in front of their shoes. The bad kids get sweet coal. That day is typical to eat “El Roscón de reyes” that often has a Christmas figurine inside. ====