The start of the new year on Jan. 1 marked the end of the holiday season for many, but Three Kings Day has a bone to pick about that.
Most of us would probably love to keep the festive holiday fun going, so here’s everything you need to know about Three Kings Day to extend your celebrations for a bit longer.
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What is Three Kings Day?
Three Kings Day — also known as Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (Day of the Three Wise Kings), Epiphany, Theopany and Little Christmas — is a holiday celebrated at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
In Christianity, the Twelve Days of Christmas is the period between Christmas Day, when the birth of Jesus is celebrated, to Three Kings Day, when the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity is marked as it occurred at his baptism in the Jordan River and at his first miracle at Cana in Galilee. On this day, the three wise men first saw Jesus and brought him his gifts, according to Britannica.
The word “epiphany” means manifestation and not only refers to the day of the holiday itself but also to the rest of the church season that follows it, according to TimeandDate.com
The name of the holiday and the focus it holds vary by religious beliefs. Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Protestants put emphasis on the visit of the Magi, and Eastern Orthodox churches focus on Jesus’ baptism.
Epiphany, Easter and Christmas are the three principal and oldest holidays of the Christian church. According to the Gregorian calendar, the holiday also marks the start of the Carnival season, which climaxes with the celebration of Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday.
When is Three Kings Day?
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Three Kings Day is always recognized 12 days after Christmas, TimeandDate.com reports.
This year, the holiday will be observed on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.
How is Three Kings Day celebrated?
Three Kings Day can be celebrated in many ways, but most festivities are influenced by the religion and location of the celebrants.
In the U.S., most people celebrate by attending church on the Sunday closest to Jan. 6. Some families have big feasts, spend time together or participate in traditions practiced by other countries.
Puerto Rican children leave a box with hay under their beds on the night of Jan. 5 so when they wake up, the kings will have left presents for them. In France, a “kings’ cake” known as “la galette des rois” is baked and bakers hide a jewel, coin or small toy inside. Whoever finds the prize gets to wear a crown, according to National Geographic.
In some European countries, like Slovakia and the Czech Republic, children dress up as the three kings and visit houses to sing about Jesus’ birth and pay homage to the “king of kings.” They often get rewarded with cookies and praise. In Spain, many children fill their shoes with straw or grain for the three kings’ horses to eat and place them on balconies or by the front door on Epiphany Eve. The next day, they get presents and sweets in place of the offering, reports TimeandDate.com.
In Latino countries, a “roscon de reyes,” a king’s ring cake “rosca de reyes,” is made. It is a pastry with a tiny figurine of a baby baked into the dough to be revealed in a slice or bite of the bread, similar to how Jesus was revealed as the Son of God to the three wise men, according to TimeandDate.com.
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Catholics in New Orleans have a similar tradition of eating elaborate king cakes throughout the entire Epiphany season, culminating in a huge celebration for Mardi Gras.
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Three Kings Day symbols
With Jesus and the three wise men being the focal point of Epiphany, many celebrations recognize these figures.
The star that guides the three wise men to Christ also symbolizes Epiphany, as do the three gifts bestowed upon Jesus. These are elements of Three Kings Day you might find integrated into festivities across many celebrations around the world, according to TimeandDate.com:
- Frankincense, which is used to worship at a temple.
- Gold, which is fit for a king.
- Myrrh, which is used for embalming but is also a salve for irritations like diaper rash.
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