A video of an American child performing onstage in blackface is shining a spotlight on a controversial holiday tradition in Spain.
The mother of three, who goes by Jellllydonut online, had recently moved to Spain with her family and was horrified when she arrived at her daughter’s holiday play and saw black makeup smeared across her little girl’s face. It wasn’t just her daughter; all the children on stage were in blackface.
The Threads video — captioned “I was not prepared for this… Gasp” — is causing a stir online, and speculation about the school’s motives is running wild. While some believe the school intended to recreate a U.S.-style “gospel choir,” there’s another, more likely answer.
In holiday festivities — and apparently school plays — white people in Spain attempt to emulate Balthasar, one of the three kings, by smearing makeup on their faces to appear Black. This culminates in the cabalgatas parades held throughout Spain on the night before Feast Day on January 6. The parades are filled with thousands of white performers in blackface and have sparked outrage from anti-racist groups and calls to ban the practice.
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The arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus — kings from different continents — holds special significance for Christians, symbolizing an inclusive message of Jesus’ reach across all nations. Honoring this event with blackface is particularly galling and a painful callback to Spain’s slave trade and colonial past.
After an outcry of criticism in 2023, Eduard Creus, a spokesperson for the parade organizer, told La Vanguardia newspaper that there were not enough Black volunteers to replace all the people in blackface. “It’s not a question of racism,” he said.
“Groups of people of African descent have approached the foundation, offering to look for and hire pages, but ours are not theatrical performances. Volunteering transmits the magic feeling of the occasion.”
People who have watched the video simply aren’t buying it.
“Instead of gasping and recording videos, she should’ve snatched her baby off them people’s stage and canceled her enrollment in the school,” wrote one shocked viewer. “If they thought this was appropriate for a Christmas performance, there’s no telling what they’re teaching the kids when the parents aren’t there to witness it.”
“We absolutely do not do blackface in 2025. They can still praise that king without blackface,” said another. “And don’t forget the wigs they had on.”
The fight to ban the practice is ongoing. AfroféminasEspaña, a prominent anti-racism group in Spain, recently expanded its petition against the “Three Kings” parades on Dec. 10 to include all instances of blackface across the country.
“The practice of blackface is no longer tolerable,” it read. “There is an urgent need for a profound transformation towards contemporary, inclusive, and racism-free celebrations that continue to bring joy to children and adults without perpetuating offensive stereotypes.”
