Learn About Three Kings’ Day in Hispanic Countries

El día de los Reyes Magos

The 12th day of Christmas, el día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings’ Day) is the most exciting day of the year for kids living in Hispanic countries such as Spain, Mexico and Latin America. In Hispanic culture the 1st day of Christmas (Christmas Day) is a more relaxed day of celebrating Jesus’ birth and not so much a time for adorning one another with the giving of gifts.

The story of Santa Claus is not nearly as embraced and loved as the biblical story of the Three Kings who had a first-hand connection to the baby Jesus, and so the tradition of gift giving is more appropriate on Three Kings’ Day rather than Christmas day. It is a day near and dear to the hearts of Hispanic people from all over the world as it celebrates the Three Kings, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar’s journey as they followed a large, bright star from the East eventually arriving to a small manger in Bethlehem to present their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn king.

Melchior was the oldest of the kings and was the king of Persia and brought the gift of gold. Gaspar is believed to be a king from the southern part of India and brought the gift of frankincense. Balthazar was the king of Macedonia and gave the gift of myrrh. One may ask why these Kings decided to give these specific gifts?

The Three Gifts

Gold is a symbol of divinity. In fact many pagan idols were constructed out of gold. Also it is a gift most suited for a king. All of King Solomon’s cups were solid gold as well as all of his eating utensils. By giving baby Jesus gold they were acknowledging their reverence for this royal child which is all the more stunning a gift considering it was given by kings themselves.

Frankincense was a valuable gift because it was not something a person could easily get from the region where Jesus was born. It was more common in the East and therefore very valuable. When burned it produced a strong, woodsy aroma as it is made from the bark of trees native to the east where the kings were from. It also symbolized and acknowledged Jesus’ priesthood as frankincense was commonly used in the temple, burned during ceremonial rituals.

Myrrh also originated from Arabia and was extracted from a tree in the same way that the frankincense was obtained. Myrrh was a symbol of suffering, which of course Jesus would eventually have to endure later in his life, but also it was practically used as an aromatic ointment in the embalming process. Interesting enough it could also be used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory which Mary as a newborn mother would have benefitted from immensely.