Friday, January 6 is Three Kings Day (Tres Reyes Magos or Epiphany). It commemorates the day the Three Kings from the East, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, representing Europe, Arabia and Africa, after following the star for twelve days, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, in Bethlehem to find the infant Jesus in the manger and to give their symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Three Kings Day is the day on which gifts are traditionally given throughout Central and South America. And sometimes in the US, too. Today is the eve of Tres Reyes Magos.
Please join me south of the border.
Only relatively recently has globalization and commercialization brought Santa Claus and Christmas trees and gift giving on Christmas Day to much of Latin America. Only recently has the gringo, capitalist, commercial, debt inducing extravaganza taken hold. Before that, the Three Kings came with the gifts only on January 6, twelve days after Christmas, on the Twelfth Day of Christmas.
In Spain, Argentina, and Uruguay, children and many adults polish and leave their shoes ready for the Kings' presents before they go to bed on the 5th of January. Sweet wine, nibbles, fruit and milk are left for the Kings and their animals. In Mexico, it is traditional for children to leave their shoes on the eve of January 6 by the family nativity scene or by their beds. Also, a letter with toy requests is left and sometimes the shoes are filled with hay for the camels. In Puerto Rico, it is traditional for children to fill a box with grass or hay and put it underneath their bed. In some parts of northern Mexico the shoes are left under the Christmas tree (an import from El Norte) with a letter to the Three Kings. This is similar to US and European children leaving mince pies or cookies and milk out for Santa Claus or Father Christmas.
If you consider the Three Kings Story from a mythic, rather than a solely religious perspective, it's a very important allegory about faith and instinct. The wise, eastern Kings' faithfully followed their instinct and knowledge across the desert to the place it leads them. Do they know where they were going? Are they following the signs correctly? Are they supposed to follow this star? And not that one. When they reach the destination, they give their gifts to the ones they find, the ones who should receive them. Is this the right person? Are these the right gifts? How do I know whether I’m doing this correctly? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?
I really like the story. I like to think about the kind of courage and understanding and conviction and trust one would need to play the role of one of the kings (the wise men) in the story. Would I know to follow my star? Would I understand that it was time for the journey? Would I leave immediately? Would I persist for 12 days traveling without knowing where I was going? Would frustration, despair, fear or doubt stop my journey? Would I become distracted? Would I press on? And would I realize when I had arrived? Would I know what gifts to give and to whom? How would I know all of these things? What an epic journey of trust and instinct it is.
Feliz Dia de Reyes! And may you be inspired by the gifts you receive this year.