The Epiphany or Three King's Day falls on January 6. It traditionally marks the end of the Christmas celebrations, and in many circles it is considered good luck to leave your Christmas tree up until Jan. 6. This is a feast day celebration to commemorate the date The Three Wise Men bestowed gifts of frankincense, myrrh, and gold upon the baby Jesus.
Just who were the three kings?
Legend has it that they were Balthasar, a king of Ethiopia; Melchior, a king of Persia; and Gaspar, a king of India. They travelled quite a distance, following the star of Bethlehem (no GPS!!) to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus and bring him gifts.
Some traditions for the holiday
This is the day that many families take down their Christmas tree as it is thought to bring good luck to leave it up until today.
Traditionally, children will place their shoes out the evening before, filled with hay and other treats for the Wise Men's camels. The hay and treats will be replaced with small gifts and treats for the children, much like stockings on Christmas morning.
It is also a tradition to serve a King Cake (Rosca de Reyes), a round cake with a small figurine inside. The shape of the cake symbolizing a crown and the tiny figurine symbolizing the baby Jesus. The person who finds the figurine in their slice of cake will have luck throughout the year.
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You can make this cake on your own if you are so inclined. A simple Google search located literally thousands of recipes for Three King's Cake, from simple to elaborate. Or you can order the cake from a local Southern Maryland bakery, such as or find it in your local Giant or Safeway bakery.
If you opt to go the route of purchasing a cake from a profession, be sure to order your King Cake early, as these are often in short supply as the day draws near.
In addition to the fun tradition of placing shoes out for gifts in the night, there are many fun activities you can do with kids to celebrate this day and make it special. Some of these are listed below, but you can come up with hundreds of variations of fun activities to commemorate the day the Wise Men brought gifts to the baby Jesus.
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Fun activities kids can do to celebrate this day:
- Craft a crown out of paper plates. Kids can get as creative as they want to be using their craft supplies.
- Play a game of follow the leader, with one child (or adult) designated as the Star of Bethlehem and leading the others on a quest to find the baby (hide a stuffed toy or doll to symbolize the baby).
- Let the children's imaginations go wild by crafting gifts to present using stones and paint, cardboard cutouts and crayons and glitter.
- Read the story of the Nativity as a family to truly grasp the meaning of this holiday for so many. In many cultures, this is the most revered and celebrated holiday of all.
- Eat Three King's Cake and see who will find the baby hidden inside. If you are unable to find a Three King's Cake, improvise with Monkey Bread and a small figurine (you can find these at any craft supply store) or even glazed donuts (in which case everyone is the lucky person to find the baby!)
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Whether your family has a tradition of celebrating Three King's Day, or this is something new to you, we hope you find something to spark your interest and help your family learn about this holiday.
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