The person who finds the figure becomes the king and wears a crown made from paper (often bought together with the cake) until the end of the day. When we visited Strasbourg for the Christmas markets, inside the Cathedral was a wonderful nativity tableau. Happy three kings day. The cake is a ring-shaped pastry, sliced into two layers with cream in the middle, and topped with candied fruits (fruits are like jewels on the king’s crowns). Three Kings (Magi, or Three Wise Men) set out on a journey to Bethlehem, following the star across the desert. Heavily celebrated in Spain, Latin America and parts of Europe, Three Kings Day … The head of the family? http://www.frenchmomentsblog.com/lepiphanie-en-france-cest-lheure-de-la-galette-des-rois/ Which country would you like to spend Easter in? She flies on a broom with a bag of gifts. In Lithuania, the Three Kings Day is a religious holiday, but it’s still a normal working day. The Three Kings day is also connected with the  sixteenth century tradition of children singing carols in local parishes (Sternsinger). Three Kings Day, also known as Feast of the Epiphany, has its origins in Catholic traditions and is celebrated mainly in Spain and Mexico. Gifts are brought by Befana, an old lady with a big, rounded nose. Never catching up with the Three Kings, instead, every year Befana brings sweets and gifts to children. Sometimes the seed of bean and pea have a different meaning, for example in Spain – the person who didn’t find the seed in his/her cake, has to buy the Twelfth Night cake next year. And of course, remember to print all these special moments on Colorland’s products! After the Three Kings depart, Befana has a change of heart. The parade goes from the Pitti Palace, over the Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo della Signoria. Planning a baby shower – ideas, decorations, presents. Italians eat Befanini cookies, panettone, and caramelle candies for the holiday. While the Christmas Eve in Spain is mostly celebrated at home with family, the Three Kings Day (called „ Día de los Reyes Magos”) is usually celebrated in a more exuberant way. (Picture book), Story of the journey of the Three Kings, beautifully illustrated with Renaissance paintings. The Three Kings stop by her house to ask directions to Bethlehem. The French celebrate Epiphany with a galette des rois (Kings’ Cake). The person who finds the figure of the king becomes the king for the whole day. Learn about Three Kings Day. Theophany is a term to call the Three Kings Day in Greece and Cyprus. Rosca de Reyes is the cake of Three Kings Day eaten on January 6th. It is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians. In Italy, kids receive gifts twice a year. Here’s the recipe we used: Galette des rois by David Lebovitz. In Ireland, the Three Kings Day is celebrated on January 6th, also called as the ”Little Christmas” or ”Nollaig Bheag”. Tip: It’s fun to make this cake at home (no need to make puff pastry from scratch, just find it in the supermarket frozen section). Children dress like the Three Kings and walk from house to house, singing carols or praying. But parents and grandparents commented on how commercial the cabalgata had become, and how many fewer children attended today. The person who eats the slice of cake with the figurine is also king for the day. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/germany/epiphany At the nativity, the three kings praising the baby Jesus is called “Adoration of the Magi,” portrayed in many European paintings, particularly Renaissance artworks. On the night of January 5, children put out stockings for Befana who will bring candies, presents, cookies for children who’ve been good, coal for badly-behaved children. Planning your first exotic trip? January 6th is a very important holiday in Spain as the entire country celebrates the Epiphany, or Dia de Los Reyes Magos. She doesn’t go with them, but thinks about gifts for the Christ child. This is also the favorite day of almost every Spanish child because they receive gifts from the Three Kings (it’s less popular during Christmas). Happy three kings day. In Rome, at the Piazza Navona is the Festa della Befana, with food, music and cultural events, a carousel, and large market with figures and puppets of Befana flying around. Three Kings Day or the Feast of Epiphany is the final celebration with which the 12 days of Christmas end on January 6. Children wearing costumes ride on the floats, and toss out tons of wrapped hard candies to the spectators. The holiday commemorates the three wise men who … However, in the likes of Mexico and other countries across Latin America, the three wise men are the gift bearers, leaving presents in the shoes of small children (or near to their shoes if the presents are too big! In Germanic countries, like Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, Dreikonigstag is the word for "Three Kings Day." He finds an amazing procession of camels carrying treasures, a spotted cheetah on horseback, and kings wearing jewels and gold-threaded robes. Three Kings Day remains a holiday in every province of Spain, and children also even have January 7 off from school. A pastry shop seller prepares orders of 'Roscones de Reyes' at the Antigua Pasteleria del Pozo ahead of the Three Kings' Day on January 3, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. – Let the shining star, which showed the path to three wise men, shine upon you, and light your way to success. View in App; Follow Us. However, tomorrow it’s the Three Kings Day, which is called differently in other European countries. For those who celebrate Three Kings Day, the season of gift giving extends all the way up to the 12th day of Christmas. A small bean or some other small prize is baked in the galette – when the cake is sliced, the person to get the bean wins a paper crown, and is the lucky “king for a day.”. Each city and town hosts its own parade on the eve of Three Kings' Day, called the cabalgata, to celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings into Spain from their long journey. In Spain, this day is known as Kings' Day or the Día de Los Reyes, and is celebrated just like a second Christmas, with feasting and the giving of presents. (Picture book), Befana is an old peasant woman, living by herself in the countryside, always sweeping her house with her broom. Three Kings Day 2021 Quotes, Wishes, Greetings, Sayings, Messages: – Hope you get more reasons to be happy and thankful to Jesus. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/epiphany The borders of the Basque Country are currently closed and a curfew remains in place from 10pm. The three kings day is celebrated on January 6th every year. Celebrated most in Spain and Latin America, but also across Europe, “El Dia de los Reyes”, as it’s called in Spanish, marks the adoration of baby Jesus by the three wise men. On the twelfth day of Christmas, January 6, we celebrate Three Kings Day! It was too late – The Three Kings were too far away, the star of Bethlehem faded and Befana had never seen the baby Jesus. They arrived January 6, twelve days after Christmas, and gave gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ child. Mary and baby Jesus were surrounded by the Three Kings, and behind them a huge camel, and even bigger elephant with magnificent tusks. When is Three Kings Day 2021? It is always celebrated on Italy also celebrates the Epiphany story of Befana. Casper, Melchior and Balthazar met an old lady during the journey and asked her to join them. Christmas Eve is over. Bolivians take baby Jesus figurines for blessing on Three Kings Day. In Florence the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi has a fabulous Magi fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli. Three kings day messages, quotes and Greetings. Footer menu. Some countries in South America as well as in Europe call Epiphany day the Three Kings Day or Kings Day. See Also: 10 Facts about Remembrance Day. Germany is noted for it’s lovely wood carved figures. In this way, they collect charitable donations. (Picture book). Women's day – why is it so important to celebrate this day? The name comes from the three kings or wise men sent by Herod to locate the baby Jesus. British people, same as Irish believe that keeping them brings bad luck. In France, the tradition says that in every family, in the day of Epiphany there has to be a king elected. When the parade is over, there’s so much candy on the streets, it’s like sweet ice crunching under foot. Then the cake is cut into same size pieces – the person who finds the bean has to pay for the next Roscón de Reyes. ). http://cadenaser.com/ser/2015/01/03/sociedad/1420304729_946036.html The Three Kings are named Melchior, Balthazar, and Caspar (Gaspar). What to take on holiday with kids? One night she wakes up to sees a bright shining star and the next day the Three Kings stop at her house to ask the way to Bethlehem. In each cake there’s a little, plastic figure (in luxury cakes it may be jewellery or even a car-key). Learn about Three Kings Day. The lady refused. A dry seed of bean and pea are put into the cake. In some cultures, the greenery and nativity scenes put up at Christmas are taken down at Epiphany. Time has changed, but the tradition is still celebrated and the 6th January evening is still owned by women. In Ireland, the day is known as Little Christmas. The meal concludes the Christmas holidays and usually consists of simple, hearty fare followed by the serving of a King’s Cake. http://germanculture.com.ua/german-holidays/three-kings-and-epiphany/ An authority? The Three Kings Day is also called ”Women’s Little Christmas”. This is the day that ends the 12 days Christmas period in Ireland. The coal isn’t too bad – carbone is a candy that looks like coal. In the legend, Befana is an old peasant woman, living alone in the countryside. The ”Little Christmas” name is most probably connected with the fact, that before the Gregorian calendar was accepted in 1752, the Christmas Eve was celebrated in an old way, on the 6th of January. Befana bakes and bakes, wraps up the cookies and candies, takes her broom – and a miracle occurs – she flies in the sky. In European homes, it is a tradition for children to line up their shoes outside the house so that the three kings know where to leave gifts. In countries historically shaped by Western Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Protestantism) these customs often involve gift giving, "king cakes" and a celebratory close to the Christmas season. Since then, on the night between the 5th and 6th of January she leaves gifts in every house where a baby sleeps, in case if it was Jesus. It starts on the 5th of January, when a procession, with three kings … Next day, she began to regret that she didn’t go with them and decided to catch up with them. Then, the cake is cut into as many pieces as the family includes. The holiday celebrates the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem, bringing gifts to the Christ child. Basque Country. Facts about Three Kings Day 9: Rosca de Reyes. In the Czech Republic, the epiphany holiday is celebrated in a similar way to Germany. The parade lasts six to eight hours, with more than forty floats, people on horseback, and marching bands. https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/womens-christmas-is-celebrated-in-ireland-today-136801703-237745401 The Three Kings Celebration in Saraguro. However, there are no special traditions connected with Three Kings Day in Lithuania. This day is celebrated by Christians and atheists people, because this is a secular tradition. The Three Kings Day is not a bank holiday in Great Britain, but people do go to church. Also known as Three Kings’ Day, the holiday is named after the Christian Bible’s Three Wise Men: Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar – who represent Europe, Arabia and Africa. This is the day that ends the 12 day Christmas period in Ireland. It is the biggest feast in some areas in Macedonia. This character is mostly secular, but comes from the „epiphany” word. It starts on the 5th of January, when a procession, with three kings on the front, goes through the streets of cities and little villages. The Slovakia festival, Traja králi (the Three Kings) is a holiday of obligation in Slovakia, on the 6th January, in honour of the Three Wise Men, who came to bow before the newly born, baby Jesus. Epiphany is observed with special cakes and sweets, parades, and presents for children. People who find a seed in his/her piece are crowned king and queen of the evening. Three King’s Day is an official holiday in a parts of Germany and Austria, and is also celebrated in Switzerland, France, Spain, and much of the Spanish speaking New World. In the Christmas story, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a new star rose in the East, announcing this miraculous event. Christmas Traditions: Star Singers, January 6 and C+M+B. Good children are rewarded with gifts and naughty kids receive a piece of coal. The piece of coal is the equivalent of a birch-rod. – Let the shining star, which showed the path to three wise men, shine upon you, and light your way to success. On this day, people undress the Christmas tree and put the Christmas decoration back in storage, for the next year. She bakes sweets to take to the baby Jesus, and takes off through the air. The holiday marks the biblical adoration of baby Jesus by the three Kings, also referred to as three Wise Men or Magi. The legend of epiphany is connected with the journey of The Three Kings to the baby Jesus. Don’t hesitate to share your traditions with us. The holiday celebrates the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem, bringing gifts to the Christ child. A maximum of six people can meet, apart from on Three Kings’ Day, when 10 people can meet for celebratory dinners. It may seem crazy to think that Santa Claus isn’t as popular in some households as he is in yours! Heavily celebrated in Spain, Latin America and parts of Europe, Three Kings Day falls on the 12th day of Christmas. In Austria and parts of Germany and Switzerland, Christmas does not officially end until January 6.That date commemorates the religious feast day known as Epiphany or das Dreikönigsfest (“three kings festival”) in German. Each family buys a round cake, called ”Galette de Rois”. Puerto Rican Traditions. For many Christians, the holiday season doesn’t officially end until the 12th day of Christmas known as the “Feast of the Epiphany” or “Three Kings’ Day”. The Uffizi museum has three of the most famous Adoration of the Magi paintings – by Gentile da Fabriano (in top photo), Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli. The day of the Epiphany occurs on 6 January, and is said to be the day when the Three Kings or Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem to give their gifts to baby Jesus. What’s interesting is the fact, that swimming in Vitava river in Prague is very famous. 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