celebrating:
Christmas might be over, but that doesn’t mean the celebration and
gift giving is over. Twelve days after Christmas, Latin America and Spain
celebrate and children receive the majority of their gifts from the Three
Kings rather than from Santa Claus at Christmas. Before going to bed, the
children place their old shoes at the foot of their beds with a wish list on top
for the Three Kings. In the morning, the shoes are filled with toys and gifts
from the Magi.
On the night Christ was born, the three were drawn by a "mysterious
light" – a star in the western sky. They followed this sign to Bethlehem,
where they arrived to honor Christ. It is said that along the way, the Magi
were lodged and helped by good people, they were fed and warmed, and
their camels were given water and grass. In return for the generous
hospitality the Magi left gifts and sweets at the foot of their hosts’ beds as
they stole away quietly back to their journey.
Not much is known about the Magi, they were mentioned briefly in the
Bible as seers and truth seekers and hail from "the east." Gaspar (of India),
Melchior (of Persia) and Balthazar (of Arabia) were good Kings. The most
well-known thing about them, of course, is that they came bearing gifts of
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Three Kings Day, or Día de Los Reyes (also known as the Epiphany), is
celebrated on January 6th to honor the Three Kings (or Wise Men) that
made the twelve day pilgrimage to give gifts to the newborn Jesus Christ.
The day closes the Christmas festivities and is the day people of most Latin
American countries exchange gifts. The traditional celebrations vary from
country to country.
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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JANUARY 2015