Keeping an exhaustive record of when we’ve been naughty, to see whether we deserve a present or not, is a difficult job. A task beyond the capacity of Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar, who already have enough headaches. So they need some helpers for this: the royal pages and postmen, the servants and the spies, who spend all year watching what we do and don’t do.

So they will be receiving young kids with their letters at the traditional collection points between 2 and 5 January. But there are lots of people in Barcelona and the Three Kings need more helpers. So the royal postmen and pages will also be going to the city neighbourhoods. Some are very popular and well-known, with well-defined characters, while others are anonymous helpers, but very effective, nonetheless. In some neighbourhoods, such as Gràcia and Poble-sec, they are welcomed with a parade. There will be lots of pages in the markets, the city’s main shopping hubs and the civic centres too.