Dia de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings/Wise Men Day.

Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar

January 6th is  the Day of the Three Magic Kings or Wise Men. Their names are Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. The Epiphany is celebrated in some countries as the day the three wise men visited the infant baby Jesus. This is  important in Hispanic cultures and in Spain, where the day is called Fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Magos.

The Day of the Three Magic is celebrated like Christmas in Spain. It’s the day the children are given presents. On the night of the 5th, instead of stockings, kids leave their shoes out, stuffed with straw. It’s not Santa who comes in the middle of the night leaving the children presents. Instead, it’s the three magics who come bringing gifts for the kids, just like they gave the baby Jesus presents in honor of his birth. The straw in the children’s shoes is for the Wise Men’s camels to eat.

It will be fun to recognize them so here is their description

• Gaspar (or Caspar), who has brown hair and a brown beard and wears a green cloak and a gold crown with green jewels on it. He is the King of Sheba. Gaspar represents the Frankincense brought to Jesus.
• Melchior, who has long white hair and a white beard and wears a gold cloak. He is the King of Arabia. Melchior represents the Gold brought to Jesus.
• Balthazar,who has black skin and a black beard and wears a purple cloak. He is the King of Tars and Egypt. Balthazar represents the gift of Myrrh that was brought to Jesus.

On January 6 eat Roscon de Reyes

Roscón de Reyes o rosca de reyes (king’s ring) is a Spanish and Latin American king’s cake pastry tradicionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany.

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