The winter holidays are still celebrated for many Christians, as Jan. 6 marks the 12th day of Christmas known as Three Kings’ Day or Epiphany.
Celebrated across the globe in different ways, this holiday commemorates the Three Kings’ (or wise men) following a guiding star to Bethlehem to honor the birth of Jesus and honor him as king.
From Spain to Puerto Rico to many American cities with Spanish speaking populations, Three Kings’ Day (Día de los Reyes or Día de los Reyes Magos) is often honored in various ways.
Celebrate with feasts and parades, gifts and other fun traditions, many families even leave out gifts for the Three Kings’ (and their camels who have traveled a long way to come to their homes). In Mexico, a special bread called “Rosca de Reyes” is baked in an oval shape and made of a sweet dough as part of the festivities.
A couple of our cast who celebrate Three Kings’ Day shared some of their family traditions!
Sarah, Public Relations Manager
“Two things that we always do are: Decorate our home with Reyes crafts made by Puerto Rican artists, and give a Three Kings-themed shirt to our son as a gift. Having a shirt with the image of the Reyes or the Nativity scene helps us to further explain the importance of the day.”
Vanessa, Manager of Sports Development
“The Reyes come bearing gifts for our children! We spend the rest of the day enjoying our new gifts, preparing and eating typical holiday food (pork, rice with pigeon peas, flan, coquito), and engaging in fun activities (like visiting a Disney theme park). What a celebration!”
Does your family celebrate Three Kings’ Day? Share your special traditions in the comments below!
