Here in Mexico, the Christmas festivities don’t stop at the start of the new year. The celebrations continue with El Día de los Reyes, Three Kings’ Day (Epiphany) on January 6th, and El Día de la Candelaria, Candlemas, on February 2nd. These two special days are a part of the Catholic traditions that were brought over by the Spanish during colonial times and are now firmly rooted in Mexican culture.

El Día de los Reyes

Marking the 12th day after Christmas, El Día de los Reyes is when children tend to receive a second holiday gift, as Jesus did from the Three Kings after his birth. Santa Claus delivers a present to the children on Christmas Eve and the Three Kings are said to visit and leave another gift on the night of January 5th.

As with Christmas, the day is spent celebrating with family and friends over a delicious meal. An essential part of this feast is the Rosca de Reyes: a sweet, oval-shaped bread, decorated in candied fruits, which is said to symbolize a crown laden with jewels. Hidden inside this dessert are several small figurines representing el Niño Jesús, baby Jesus. The tradition goes that the people who are lucky enough to discover a figurine in their slice of cake will be responsible for hosting the celebrations on February 2nd and providing the tamales for all to enjoy.

El Día de la Candelaria

Falling on the 40th day after Christmas, El Día de la Candelaria marks the day that Jesus was presented in the temple, following the obligatory period of cleansing (forty days) that was required for a woman once she had given birth, according to early Jewish customs.

Nowadays, it is seen as the final day of feasting and festivities during the holiday season, when family and friends gather to eat the tamales provided by their chosen host. In parts of Mexico, families with strong Catholic beliefs would also dress up dolls, known as Niño Dios, Christ Child, to take to mass with them, just as Jesus would have been presented in church on that day.

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