January 6 is a holiday in most Hispanic countries. This celebration is also known as Epiphany, which marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas. Three Kings Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ into this world. The story says that the three wise men (The Three Kings) visited newborn Jesus, bringing him gifts of “gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” How is Three Kings Day Celebrated? Much like Christmas, kids receive presents (typically three, one from each of the kings). Some may even receive gifts on both Christmas and today! Also, similar to how kids leave milk and cookies for Santa, kids leave grass for the king’s camels so they can continue their trip around the world, bringing gifts to other kids. Another tradition is the Rosca de Reyes, or Kings’ Day cake. It’s a delicious, oval-shaped sweet bread. Figurines of baby Jesus are hidden in the bread, representing the flight of Jesus, escaping from King Herod’s plan of killing all babies that could be the messiah. Each culture has a different version of what happens to the lucky person who finds this figurine. Some say that whoever gets it will be blessed for the rest of the year. In Spain, this person is crowned the “king” or “queen” for a day. In Mexico, this person has to throw a party on February 2, and provide tamales and atole to the guests. So, if you ever wondered why some of your Hispanic friends leave their Christmas tree up for a while longer, you know why – because, for us, the Holidays aren’t over until after Three Kings Day. Read more: http://www.quickenloans.com/blog/three-kings-day#ixzz2FneqN3a4
What is Three Kings Day?