El día de los reyes magosThree Kings Day

6 de enero

On January 6, the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia de los Reyes Magos, when the Three Wise Men (Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar) following the star to Bethlehem, and arrived bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus.

Mexican Traditions

In Mexico, the tradition is that children write letters to the Wise Men asking for presents. On January 5, families go to a beautiful park in Mexico for a festivalfull of concessions, toys and photo opportunities with the Wise Men.

Hundreds of colorful helium balloons are sold during the season, andthe children attach their lettersto them, and have them fly up intothe sky carrying all their wishes.

Mexican Traditions

Before going to bed the childrenplace their old shoes under their bed or in the living room, wherethe Wise Men will leave them their presents.

Some also place hay and abucket with water outside for the animals, and cookies and milk for Melchor,Gaspar and Baltazar.

Puerto Rican Traditions

In Puerto Rico, on La Víspera de Reyes (the Eve of Three Kings Day) children cut grass to put in a shoe boxunder their bed for the camels to eat.Their "wish list" is placed on top of thegrass.

In the morning they come to find that the grass has been eaten bycamels and presents have been placed in the shoe box by the Wise Men.

The Three Kings

Melchor El Rey Melchor was the Sultan of Arabia. 

He was the oldest of the Magi and was a small and gentle man. Melchorhad a long white beard and wore elegant crimson robes.

His gift was gold which was used by theHebrews for the Temple and was plentiful in the time of David and Solomon. 

It is rumored that Melchor brought many other priceless gifts as well.

The Three Kings

Baltazar

El Rey Baltazar was a Nubian King and ruler of Ethiopia.

Baltazar was dressed in exquisite robes. His gift wasmyrrh, a precious and aromatic resin that comes from the bark of thorny Africantrees and symbolized suffering. 

Baltazar was also rumored to have brought many other expensive gifts and treasures along.

Legend tells us that Baltazar died soon afterin the presence of the other Wise Men.

The Three Kings

Gaspar El Rey Gaspar was Emperor of the Orient 

and ruled over all oriental lands.His clothes were gilded in gold.

King Gaspar's gift was frankincense, an exceedingly aromatic gum used in the sacred incense for the Temple service. It is distilled from a tree in Arabia.

It is said that Gaspar traveled thefurthest.

Rosca de Reyes

All over the country, in every city  and in every little town,  bakeries offer the Rosca de Reyes, an oval sweetbread, decorated with candied fruit.  There are Roscas of all sizes, very small ones for two or three people and up to the ones that will delight more that twenty people.

The Spaniards brought the tradition of celebrating the Epiphany and sharing the Rosca to the New World.

Hidden inside this delicious Rosca, a plastic figurine of the Baby Jesus. The Baby is hidden because it symbolizes the need to find a secure place where Jesus could be born, a place where King Herod would not find Him.

Each person cuts a slice of the Rosca .  The knife symbolizes the danger in which the Baby Jesus  was in.

One by one the guests carefully inspect their slice, hopping they didn't get the figurine.

Whoever gets the baby figurine shall be the host, and invite everyone present to a new celebration on February 2, Candelaria  or Candle mass day, and he also shall get a new Ropón or dress for the Baby Jesus of the Nativity scene.

Para divertirnos…

Dora y Los Reyes Magos