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Dia de Los Reyes

Dia de Los Reyes is a time for a Mexican Family celebration.

This day commemorates the Epiphany - the day the 3 wise men arrived in Bethlehem after following the star, bearing gifts for the Christ child, gold, frankincense and myrrh.

In Mexico children will write to their favorite wise man or Reyes Magos, Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar, and ask for the present they would like. In large cities, families go to the zocalo and children have their pictures taken with the Kings of the Orient, In the zocalo they purchase helium balloons and attach their letters addressed to the Kings.

Sometime during the evening figurines of the 3 wise men are added to the beautiful nativity scenes. Children place their shoes under the bed. Traditions vary here. Some families leave hay outside for the animals or cookies and milk inside for the 3 wise men. When the children awake on January 6, they immediately rush to their shoes to find their gifts.

 The celebratory evening meal is called the Merienda de Reyes, and celebrates the Epiphany. A sweet bread shaped into a large oval called Rosca de Reyes are decorated with candied fruit. Hidden inside the cake is a small figurine of baby Jesus - symbolizing the hidden birth place Mary and Joseph found away from King Herod. Everyone cuts a piece of the cake and carefully inspects the piece they selected for the figurine. The lucky (or unlucky) person who finds Jesus must host an party on February 2, Candelaria or Candle Mass, and invite everyone to join in.