The Day of the Kings - El Dia de los Reyes

In Spain and many parts of the world, it is not the Baby Jesus, Santa Claus or St. Nicholas who brings gifts on Christmas Day, but rather the Three Kings, whose generosity is put to the test on January 6, the day of the Epiphany. Children, families, and entire cities throughout the country celebrate this major Spanish Christmas tradition.

With festive lights livening up the streets, Nativity scenes set up in various locations, and holiday tunes setting the holiday atmosphere, Spaniards celebrate the arrival of the Kings with a joyful parade called the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos. The kings ride upon horses or elaborate floats and throw goodies down to the children lining the streets. This is also traditionally the big opportunity for children to ask the Kings for presents.

That evening, before an early night in bed, children leave out their shoes in a spot where the Kings are sure to see them. The religious monarchs, just like Santa Claus, certainly love their sweets, so Spanish children often set out goodies to entice the Kings as well as hay to feed their camels. 

When morning arrives, children delightedly discover that the Kings nibbled the sweets, the camels ate the hay, and by their shoes there are wrapped presents just waiting to be torn into. 

The magical night comes to a close with another Spanish Christmas tradition: a typical breakfast of Roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped cake decorated with fruits symbolizing the precious gems that adorned the royal trio's lavish clothing.

 Thanks to enforex for this succinct description.
See also,  https://www.inside-mexico.com/ya-vienen-los-reyes-magos/

Celebrating the Epiphany of Emmanuel

Traditionally, Western Christianity recognized a Christmas Season of twelve days from December 25 through January 5.  
And January 6 is universally recognized as Epiphany. 

Epiphany is one of the three oldest festival days of the Christian Church. 
It commemorates, according to tradition, "the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles."

Epiphany, January 6 is also known as "Little Christmas," or "Three Kings Day."  
In some cultures, the gifts (which represent the gifts given by the Magi to Jesus, or the gift of Jesus) are given on this day, rather than on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
For some, this is a day of special feasting with elaborate traditional foods.

In the churches of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the recognition of Christ's divinity occurs first at his baptism by John in the Jordan River. For these churches this was the
breakthrough moment, the occasion on which it was recognized that this man was in fact the Son of God.
In churches of the West the evening preceding Epiphany is called Twelfth Night.  
Hence, the twelve days of Christmas.

In an article on About.com, Charles Henderson wrote:
"Personally, I like the idea that Christmas is actually a season  which stretches out from December 25 all the way through to the  New Year, culminating in Epiphany. 
This simple fact allows one  to separate the secular and commercial Christmas from the more  reflective period in which the actual significance of Jesus  Christ can be contemplated. 
A period of twelve days allows an  appropriate amount of time in which to probe to a deeper level  of understanding. 
Thus, Epiphany may redeem Christmas, and this  time of the year can indeed by an occasion for illumination and  discovery, a breakthrough moment in which those things that are  most real (and thus most divine) in human life come shining  through."

Traditionally, the word epiphany means "a showing forth" or "manifestation." 
In common usage it sometimes refers to a sudden recognition of something that was there all along, but for which there was only a vague intuition. 
Often the new recognition can be seen to have a cosmic dimension and can certainly be life-changing.
This cosmic aspect of a seemingly insignificant event is well-represented by the Epiphany day story of the Magi who followed a star in search of a new-born king whom they finally discovered in a very unlikely Jewish home.

During Advent we often heard the word Emmanuel and the phrase "God with us" as a way to describe the birth of Jesus Christ.
Epiphany is a time for discovering what this phrase truly means.
 
Check out NewCelebrations.com

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If you want to reclaim the real reason for the season,

     if you want to find Emmanuel,

          If you don't want to miss the coming of the Christ this year,

               remember the clues from our Christian Holy writings:

                    Whenever you do for the least of these, you do for me.

                                        (Check out the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31-46.)

Let us be clear, gift-giving is a good thing to do.

     Gift-giving is a concrete way of letting people know you are thinking of them,

           you care for them, and

                 that they are special to you.

But, let us thoughtfully give gifts that are affirming, life-enhancing, community-building,

and justice-celebrating.

Look over these suggestions,

          explore these opportunities,

                   and let your own thoughts springboard from them.

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ECHO has been fighting world hunger for 18 years by providing seeds, information, and ideas to people in 140 countries

Find out more about ECHO here.

Make meaningful Christmas gifts here.

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Alternative Gift Catalog: Gifts of Food & Beverage

If you want to reclaim the real reason for the season,
     if you want to find Emmanuel,
          If you don't want to miss the coming of the Christ this year,
               remember the clues from our Christian Holy writings:
                    Whenever you do for the least of these, you do for me.
                                        (Check out the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31-46.)

Let us be clear, gift-giving is a good thing to do.
     Gift-giving is a concrete way of letting people know you are thinking of them,
           you care for them, and
                 that they are special to you.

But, let us thoughtfully give gifts that are affirming, life-enhancing, community-building,
and justice-celebrating.

Look over these suggestions,
          explore these opportunities,
                   and let your own thoughts springboard from them.

Gifts of Food & Beverage:

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They write: “We are committed to non-violence and peaceful solutions to society's problems, reconciliation among all people, Christian discipleship, and the empowerment of the poor, the neglected and the oppressed.

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Christmas With More Meaning and Less Money

You asked for ideas about celebrating Christmas with lots of spirit and little cash.

Choosing to simplify Christmas can be enriching, no matter why you've arrived at that choice.

Don't be concerned that your children will suffer just because money is tight this year.

What's important to them is that you're all happy together.

Remember that for children what's important is the process, not the finished product.

You "can" create a storybook Christmas for yourselves and your kids if you model it after the Waltons or Little House on the Prairie, rather than TV ads showing "perfect" family gatherings.

In fact, why not give them the gift of family-activity nights, instead of mindless TV watching?

Plan to watch only the Christmas specials you KNOW will help increase the gratitude and wonder.

You want them to feel this season.

Let everyone be involved in the planning and the doing.

Here are some starter ideas:

SPIRIT:

1.  Putting magic into holidays takes a flight of fancy, not a spending spree. Creating Christmas spirit is like believing in fairies: it takes some we WILL-thinking, instead of we WON'T (as in we won't have, we can't afford, etc). For thousands of years people made their own fun. You can do it, too. .

2.  Use what you have: your imagination and knowledge, combined with the resources at hand or within this year's budget. You know some Christmas songs. Teach them to your children. Gather family and friends, hold a practice session, then go caroling at a nursing home, hospital, shelter and/or around your neighborhood. You'll feel great!

If your children are old enough, tell them stories about your favorite childhood Christmas.

Make up one.

Check a few books out from your library and read a new story every night for a week.

Your librarian will help you choose the best ones. 

Check our lots more ideas here: NewCelebrations

THE CHRISTMAS PLEDGE

Believing in the beauty and simplicity of Christmas, I commit myself to the following:

1.  To remember those people who truly need my gifts.

2.  To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents.

3.  To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family.

4.  To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas.

5.  To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.

-from Unplug the Christmas Machine , by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli





http://www.newcelebrations.com/christmaspledge.html