A month onwards: from St. Nicholas to the Three Wise Men

Had I been still a child, had I been a Romanian child, had I been a child living in Romania, yesterday (5th December) I would have gone to bed early. I would have cleaned my shoes, put them on the window and go to bed early, waiting for St. Nicholas (Sfantul Nicolae, Moş Nicolae) to bring me some sweets or a new pair of boots on 6th December, Saint Nicholas day.

St. Nicholas will be back on 24th December, in his worldwide tour, disguised as Santa Clause and with a red suit sponsored by Coca-Cola. Many children will go to bed earl, wondering the presents to come on Christmas Day. Not my case (has I been younger, of course): at my house, during my childhood, we still followed the Three Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos) tradition.

The Three Wise Men (Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar) come every 5th January from far away, from Middle East, from Arabia. Children, who have written a letter asking certain presents, go to see them when they arrive, in a big parade, throwing sweets and carrying presents for the children that have been good in their camels, the coal for those who have been naughty. Then, children come back home, leave water for the camels and Christmas seewts for the Three Wise Men, and hurry to bed: no matter if you have been good all year, if you see the Three Wise Men when they come to your house to leave the presents, you won't get any. Would I be still a child, I could get up early next 6th January, open my presents, have chocolate and "Roscón de Reyes" at breakfast, play all day and say good-bye to Christmas: I'd be back to school on 7th, maybe 8th January.

In this world where kids are too well informed, I wish you all to have around during Christmas some child who still live under the illusion of a magical Christmas: no matter if he or she sleeps badly on 5th December, on 24th December or in 5 January, but let him or her be nervous at least one day! And let us to smile with that.