Why is your Christmas tree still up!?!

Well that’s easy. Because it stays up until El Dia de los Reyes…DUH!

Epiphany (aka Theophany, Three Kings Day and El Dia de los Tres Reyes) is a Christian celebration of the revelation of the birth of Jesus to the wider world. This is embodied most in the story of three wise men visiting a newborn Jesus with gifts, found in the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12.

The Feast of the Epiphany, marking the end of the 12 Days of Christmas, is generally observed on January 6.

In this story, Magi (wise men) from the east follow a star to Jerusalem, where they ask the presiding king, Herod, what he knows about a newly born “King of the Jews.” This sounds like a challenge to Herod, who gathers his priests to learn where and who is this king. They relay a prophecy that Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, and Herod sends the Magi there, saying: “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” The wise men — Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar — eventually find Mary and her son, Jesus, to whom they bow and worship. The Magi give Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and then return home, for a dream told them to bypass Herod.

While Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity focuses on the story of the Magi, Eastern Christians, like the Greek Orthodox, celebrate the baptism of Jesus on Epiphany and consider the day to be more important than Christmas.

Traditionally, Epiphany is observed by blessing the home (recalling the Magi’s visit to Jesus’ family), blessing water (especially the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized), exchanging gifts, performing “Magi plays” (to tell the story of Jesus’ childhood) and feasting, most notably on a “King Cake.”

El Dia de Los Reyes is a widely celebrated day throughout Spanish culture. In Latino immigrant neighborhoods across the country, some Christmas trees are still up, waiting for this last marker of the holiday season. Bakeries have been churning out Rosca de Reyes, doughnut-shaped pastries that contain a hidden plastic baby Jesus, meant to be consumed surrounded by family. Parades feature live camels and Latino kids with plastic crowns, who march down major urban avenues with their parents watching on proudly. And the night of January 5th, those same kids leave an empty shoe outside for the Kings or put a box of grass, corn, or other camel food under their beds, expecting to wake up to some small gift. A family tradition I’ve always held on to is keeping all Christmas decorations up until January 6.

Here is a link to a video I found on Washingtonpost.com that shows various celebrations across the world. 

Now if you will excuse me…I have a Christmas tree to start taking down. :-(

Source: huffingtonpost.com, foxnews.com