Wise Men Adoring the Baby

About this drawing

In much of the Spanish-speaking world, the wise men adoring baby Jesus are at the heart of a holiday just as big as Christmas Day. Epiphany falls on January 6 and marks the moment when those travelers from the East recognized the child. Americans often know it as Three Kings Day, or Día de Reyes.

Spain celebrates on the evening of January 5 with big parades. Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar ride through town on floats, tossing candy to the crowds. Kids then rush home and set out their shoes, often with water for the camels. In the morning, the gifts are there. A sweet round cake called roscón, with a tiny figure hidden inside, is served at breakfast.

These customs traveled across the ocean. Puerto Rican children gather grass in shoeboxes for the camels and leave them under their beds. Mexican families share a Rosca de Reyes, and Latino communities in the United States have kept the tradition going. New York's East Harlem has held a Three Kings Day parade for decades, with children, camels, and music along the streets. Miami's Little Havana hosts another large celebration. In Louisiana, the king cake served at Mardi Gras comes from the same root, and the season officially opens on January 6, a nice reminder of just how far this old holiday has traveled.

• wise men
• epiphany
• three kings day
• baby jesus