Yesterday was the Epiphany, one of the three major Christian celebrations along with Christmas and Easter. The Epiphany is celebrated by most Christians on January 6 to commemorate the presentation of the infant Jesus to the Magi or three wise men.
Samuel H. Kress Collection National Gallery of Art
The celebration of the Epiphany began in the Eastern Church and included Christ’s birth. However, by the 4th century, the various calendar reforms had moved the birth of Christ to December 25, and the church in Rome began celebrating January 6 as Epiphany.
Epiphany is derived from the Greek epiphaneia [ἐπιφάνεια] and means manifestation or to appear. In a religious context, the term describes the appearance of a divine being in a visible or revelatory manifestation.
In Latin America, today is El día de Reyes, the day to exchange Christmas presents to coincide with the arrival of the three gift-bearing kings or wisemen.
The children’s celebration of receiving presents is not until January 6th, “el día de Reyes”, the day of the Kings, or the Wise Men Day. It is the Magi who brought the presents to the Baby Jesus, thus, they bring the toys to the boys and girls who have been good. The children place their shoes by the window, so the Magi place the present in the shoe. It the present is bigger than the shoe, it will be placed next to it. Many children, get a new pair of shoes for a present.
El dia de Reyes is celebrated with a “Merienda” consisting of hot chocolate and “The Rosca de Reyes”. “La Merienda is the meal that takes. place any time between 5 P.M. and 7 P.M. it is not a heavy meal but the equivalent of “High Tea”.
The Rosca de Reyes is a big oval wreath made out of egg bread (like an egg bagel, but huge) with dry fruit decorations and sprinkled sugar on top, but inside, there is a little ceramic doll which represents the Baby Jesus. The person who gets the piece of bread with the Baby, must be the Godparent of the Baby Jesus in the celebration of the Candelaria, on February 2nd..
Anyone who leaves Christmas decorations up after January 6th without reason is either trivializing the season or procrastinating.