About Three Kings Day
Epiphany on 6 January — twelve days after Christmas — commemorates the visit of the three Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) to the infant Jesus, bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh. In much of the Hispanic world it has historically eclipsed Christmas Day itself: it is on the eve of 6 January that children leave their shoes out to be filled by the Reyes Magos, and grass and water for the kings' camels.
For a deeper historical treatment, see Epiphany — Wikipedia.
The day's signature food across Spain, Mexico, Argentina and the Hispanic Caribbean is the Rosca de Reyes — a wreath-shaped, candied-fruit-studded sweet bread baked with one or more small porcelain or plastic figurines of the baby Jesus hidden inside. Whoever finds the figurine in their slice is responsible for hosting the Día de la Candelaria party on 2 February, with tamales for everyone.
Traditional greetings
The phrases below are the ones most often used to mark Three Kings Day in person, by phone, and on cards. The native-script column shows the greeting as a recipient would read it; the transliteration is for those who would like to say it aloud; the English column is a literal rather than a poetic translation.
| Language | Greeting | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Feliz Día de Reyes | Happy Three Kings Day | |
| Italian | Buona Epifania | Happy Epiphany | |
| Greek | Καλά Φώτα | Kala Fota | Good Lights (the Theophany greeting) |
Design tips for printable Three Kings Day cards
Hand-printed cards for Three Kings Day reward restraint and specific reference. The notes below distil what the most thoughtful cards in the tradition tend to do — and what the most commercial ones tend to get wrong.
- Three crowns rather than three faces — figurative depictions of the Magi are difficult to do well at card scale.
- The wreath shape of the rosca de reyes makes a beautiful round cover composition.
- Use deep navy with foil gold for the kings' gifts; warm terracotta and brass for the rosca.
- Children's cards work well as 'shoes by the door' illustrations.
- For Italian recipients, swap the Magi for La Befana, the Italian Christmas witch on her broomstick.
A starting palette:
Five verses for Three Kings Day cards
Each verse below is short enough to copy onto a folded card by hand. They progress from formal to intimate; pick the one that best fits the relationship and the year you are writing into.
- Three kings on a long road, following one bright star — may the gifts they bring you be exactly what you needed.
- Feliz Día de Reyes. May the rosca be sweet, and may the figurine — if you find it — bring you tamales in February.
- From the camels at the door to the shoe full of gifts in the morning, blessings on your Día de Reyes.
- Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar — and a wish, this morning, that whatever long road you are following arrives somewhere bright.
- Twelfth night, three kings, one warm bread — and a year that begins, finally, today.
Related cultural holidays
Other holidays observed in the Latin America family of traditions: