Today is the day of the innocent pranks, Día de los Santos Inocentes (Day of the Innocent), Spain’s version of the Anglo-Saxon April Fool’s Day. Another three days, and it will be Red Knickers Day, here in Spain.

For some strange reason, Spain – and some other heavily Catholic countries – have a traditional custom of greeting the New Year, all dressed in red underwear, lingerie, knickers, panties, undies, whatever you would like to call the unspeakable. It may be a reference to innocence, but more likely to temptation, seduction, submission and passion. It may have to do with anxiety and fear at times of the plague during the Middle Ages, or some superstition, or perhaps a pagan ritual. I am not quite sure what it is, but everybody, female and male, seems to do it. So, if you haven’t prepared yourself for another typical tradition here in Mallorca, I’m offering you the chance to get all ready, well in time.

In China, if you’ve ever been there, the same tradition is rife around the time of the Chinese New Year. According to Chinese tradition, it helps to wear red as a precaution against any dangers that might befall you in the New Year. Red is a lucky colour in China, standing for loyalty, success and happiness. If you’re really traditional, you should wear red every day, all year long. If you’re not a big fan of the colour red in your outer wardrobe, red underwear is an easy way to protect yourself against the hazards of life. In China and elsewhere. And pigs can fly.

The photo was taken in Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: December 21st, 2011. The time was 13:46:43.