Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 6, 1992 TAG: 9201060016
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/2 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: STEPHEN WADE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: MADRID, SPAIN LENGTH: Medium
SPANIARDS FEAR SANTA DISPLACING TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY
Draped over a fashionable shopping street, red and white lights form the image of Santa Claus - a modern intruder for purists hoping to retain the essence of Spain's ancient holiday traditions."It's an example of how Santa Claus is taking over," said Isabel Fernandez on Sunday, the eve of the traditional Epiphany holiday. "Today, children know more about Santa Claus than they do about our own tradition of the Three Kings."
Today, Spaniards exchange gifts and celebrate the Epiphany, a holiday that predates Christmas and marks the Three Kings' visit to the newborn Jesus Christ described in the Bible. Epiphany, which means revelation, signifies the moment the Bible says Jesus was revealed as the messiah to the Maji.
Traditionally, it is the major yuletide celebration in Spain and the only day of the season Spaniards give presents.
But in recent years, the commercial countdown to Dec. 25 and other Christmas symbols such as Santa Claus and decorated trees have competed with Epiphany. Many Spanish children now receive gifts on both days. For their parents, Christmas used to be a day for a family dinner and nothing else.
"The influence of American television, the American movies about Santa Claus, the store advertisements, the billboards," Fernandez said. "When did you ever see the Three Kings in a movie?"
In Greece and other Orthodox Christian areas, Epiphany is an important religious event, and some sects celebrate Christmas on Jan. 6. Mainstream Greek Orthodox priests cast crucifixes into the sea and rivers to bless the waters on Epiphany, also known in some places as the 12th day of Christmas or Little Christmas.
"This holiday [Epiphany] never had a consumer angle," said professor George Moustakis, a theologian in Greece.
Outside influence in Spain increased dramatically following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, and the nation's entry into the European Community six years ago brought further changes.
The Jan. 6 holiday predates Christmas by about 100 years. The Roman Catholic Church in the 4th century began celebrating Christ's birth on Dec. 25, and Jan. 6 was set to mark the visit of the Magi.
The concept of the familiar red-suited Santa first appeared in the 1800s in New York. The Christmas tree dates to medieval Germany.
Although Christians throughout the world celebrate Epiphany, Spain is the only European nation where the Dec. 25 holiday was not also a major holiday.
Italians tend to celebrate both days, telling children the good witch brings gifts to good kids and coal to bad ones on Jan. 6. In Rome's main square, children and parents did last-minute shopping and enjoyed festivities Sunday. In one booth, children could get their photo taken with Santa in a 1950s Fiat.
Portuguese mark the day with a glass of port wine and a slice of special cake.
But in Spain, Kings' Day is still tremendously popular. Parades are held Sunday night led by the Kings, represented by men painted in blackface.
The country's largest parade takes place in Madrid, where children use upside-down umbrellas to try to catch candy tossed by the Kings.
The parade features dozens of floats, horse-mounted units and musical groups.