Christmas is very close and today, we offer you a trip into the past to remember what these days were like, in Madrid, decades ago. How have Christmas celebrations changed in Madrid throughout the years?

Thanks to the magic of photography, we can go back in time. In this era dominated by technology and mobile phones, we are delighted to prove that some Christmas traditions have prevailed throughout the years.

In Estate One, we have reached the conclusion, once we have seen these photographs, that Christmas in Madrid has not changed a lot.

Has any Christmas time gone by without seeing the endless queues of people wanting to buy a lottery ticket in Doña Manolita? Have we not always crossed our fingers every 22nd December hoping to have luck in the Christmas lottery?

When have we not had a Christmas tree full of decorations? Who has never visited a Christmas market? Today, we will enjoy these photographs which will surely bring good memories to the veterans of our blog.

THE THRILL REMAINS INTACT

The picture underneath is most probably one of the oldest we share with you in this article. It shows the first Christmas lottery draw, in Spain, in 1812.

In those days, even though it took place on the 18th December, it was not called the Christmas lottery, but Lotería Moderna. It was named thus, so as to differenciate it between the Lotería Primitiva which existed since 1763 and the Lotería Nacional. The name of Christmas lottery did not appear until 80 years later, in 1892. This first Christmas lottery took place in Cádiz because the Spanish Parliament considered it a good way to collect money without having to resort to taxes. The lottery numbers were sung by the children of Colegio de San Ildefonso, a tradition that goes back to 1771.

The other photograph related to the lottery, was taken in 1906 and shows the children of San Ildefonso dressed up for the occasion. Has the thrill and excitement of Spanish people changed, throughout the decades, when listening to the children sing the lottery numbers? Probably not.

DIFFERENT WAYS BUT THE SAME BACKGROUND

The Three Kings Parade (Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos), is still an essential image in Christmas in Madrid. On the 5th January, little children enjoy a magical evening watching the Three Wise Kings going along the streets of Madrid. The city of Granada was a pioneer in this spectacle which dates back to the XIX century. It first started in 1912 when a Three Kings Parade was organised there in order to collect toys for children with no resources. This initiative was so successful that, as years went by, other Spanish cities started to organise their own Three Kings Parade. At present, we cannot imagine Madrid in Christmas without this parade. The photograph underneath shows a parade in 1959.

Can we even imagine, nowadays, the Three Wise Kings riding along Gran Vía on a motorbike? We also show you a current image of the long queues to buy a Christmas lottery ticket in Doña Manolita which is located in Calle del Carmen. Manuela de Pablo, known as Doña Manolita, set up the business, together with her three sisters, in Calle San Bernardo in 1904. In 1931, the business was moved to Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía. In 2011, it was moved again to its current location in Calle del Carmen.  The photograph shows the original establishment in San Bernardo in 1929.