What Is The Difference Between Christmas And The Three Kings?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Christmas is on December 25, while el Día de Reyes

What is the purpose of the three kings holiday?

Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes), also known as the Epiphany, is a Christian celebration that

commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child

. This marks the official 12th day of Christmas.

What is the 3 Kings celebration?

Three Kings' Day, also known as Epiphany, is

a celebration of the figures

—referred to as the three wise men, the magi, or the three kings—who traveled to pay homage to the recently born Jesus Christ to hail him as a king in Bethlehem. It occurs on January 6.

How do the Spanish celebrate Three Kings Day?

Celebrating Three Kings Day in Spain today

Spanish families line the streets of their hometown to get a glimpse of the cabalgata de los reyes magos, or

Three Kings Day parade

. These parades are truly a sight to behold! Along with dancers, musicians, and puppeteers, the Kings ride on camels or elaborate floats.

Is Three Kings Day a Catholic tradition?

Three Kings Day is

a religious Christian and Catholic

mostly celebrated in Europe, Latin America, and Spain.

Which countries celebrate 3 Kings Day?


From Spain and France to Chile and Mexico

, millions of people celebrate the three Kings Day with a variety of traditions, rituals and symbols, marking the end of the “12 Days of Christmas.” Across Latin America and Europe this day will be filled with festivities, parades, dancing, costumes, and floats some of which …

How old was Jesus at the Epiphany?

The baptism of Jesus was originally assigned to the same date as the birth because Luke 3:23 was misread to mean that Jesus was exactly

30

when he was baptized. Epiphanius of Salamis says that January 6 is Christ's “Birthday; that is, His Epiphany” (hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion).

What are the 3 Kings for planting?

Some from Cedar Rapids know about the legend of the Three Frozen Kings,

Pankrac, Servac and Bonifac

.

What do you do on Kings Day?

King's Day is when the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their king. King Willem Alexander was born on 27 April and so there are many parties,

flea markets

and, of course, the king himself visits one or several cities with his family. Put on your best orange outfit. Visit one of the many free markets.

Do children receive gifts on Three Kings Day?


Children in Latin America and Spain receive the majority of their gifts from the Three Kings

, rather than from Santa Claus at Christmas. Before going to bed, the children place their old shoes with a wish list on top for the Three Kings. In the morning, the shoes are filled with toys and gifts from the Three Kings.

What do the poorly behaved children receive on Three Kings Day?

According to this tradition, the children who have behaved badly during the previous year receive

coal rather than candy

, though (as in the case of Santa Claus) this is not a frequent occurrence. They might get coal candy, though.

Is Candlemas the end of Christmas?

It falls on

February 2

, which is traditionally the 40th day of and the conclusion of the Christmas–Epiphany season. While it is customary for Christians in some countries to remove their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve), those in other Christian countries historically remove them after Candlemas.

What day is Jesus's birthday?

Year Date Day 2021

December 25


Saturday
2022 December 25 Sunday 2023 December 25 Monday 2024 December 25 Wednesday

Do you say Happy Three Kings Day?


Felice Navidad

is likely the most common greeting, but since children receive their gifts on Three Kings Day , that has its own greeting.

Where did the 3 Kings come from?

Building a backstory. Later tellings of the story identified the magi by name and identified their lands of origin: Melchior

hailed from Persia

, Gaspar (also called “Caspar” or “Jaspar”) from India, and Balthazar from Arabia.

Was there a 4th Wise Man?


In the mountains of ancient Persia

, lived Artaban, whose study of the planets and the stars led him to predict the birth of the King of Kings. …

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.