Cavalcada de Reis Girona

Twelfth Night is traditionally when us Brits take down our decorations, to leave them up longer or take them down sooner is considered bad luck, not that I believe in any of that superstitious nonsense!

One of my sisters has hers boxed and packed away the day after Boxing Day and another one takes herself and her family off to foreign climes for winter sun and hasn’t put a tree up for donkeys years.

Me, I love Christmas, the tree, the twinkly lights, the smell of pine and oranges, the cards. I always think that the house looks distinctly bare afterward.

Here it’s a different kettle of fish, up and down the country Twelfth Night is the night the Kings follow their star and arrive with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh for the baby Jesus. It’s a big, big celebration with Kings arriving on horseback, on wagons and at the Costas on boats.  In Girona our Kings arrive on wagons, preceded and followed by entourages of bands, courtiers, fire eaters and knights on horseback.

Prior to them making their journey they hold court for children to take their letters, their version of letters to Santa. During the parade itself little ones line the streets with homemade lanterns on sticks and the youngest give up their dummies in return for sweets.

To be honest in Girona everyone gets sweets these are hurled into the crowds and even if you don’t catch them you get home with hoods, bags and pockets filled with them.

In England we’d have someone banning it for fear of having someone’s eye out although I have yet to hear of anyone having their eyesight maimed by flying sweets! Many of the celebrations here would have those Health and Safety gurus spinning and lawyers rubbing their hands in glee I won’t even get started on the Carre Foc (come back in late October and I’ll share that one with you)

I missed the Cavalcada this year, it was wet and cold and although normally I would pop on my boots, hat and raincoat, the wonky arm plays up something chronic when the weather is cold and damp. So the photos I’ve shared here are from a previous year when I was still in working order but they do give you a flavour of the pomp and ceremony.

I woke this morning to a bright and sunny day, I’ve just finished taking the decorations down and although it is rather empty it really feels like Christmas is over and Spring with all it’s new beginnings is on its way. Now to start filling the house with all the stuff languishing in boxes in the garage!