El día de los reyes magos Three 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 festival full of concessions, toys and  photo opportunities with the  Wise Men. Hundreds of colorful helium balloons  are sold during the season, and the children attach their letters to them, and have them fly up into the sky carrying all their wishes.

Mexican Traditions Before going to bed the children place their old shoes under their  bed or in the living room, where the Wise Men will leave them their  presents. Some also place hay and a bucket 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 box under their bed for the camels to eat. Their "wish list" is placed on top of the grass. In the morning they come to find  that the grass has been eaten by camels 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. Melchor had a long white beard and wore  elegant crimson robes. His gift was gold which was used by the Hebrews 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 was myrrh, a precious and aromatic resin that  comes from the bark of thorny African trees and symbolized suffering.  Baltazar was also rumored to have brought many other expensive gifts and treasures along. Legend tells us that Baltazar died soon after in 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 the furthest.

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