Everything You Need for the Ultimate Día de Reyes Gathering

From rosca to hot chocolate, here’s what you need for your Día de Reyes celebration on January 6.

The posadas may be over, but we Latinos are still in full celebration mode. What’s next on the festive calendar? Día de Reyes, also known as Three Kings Day, on January 6. Here’s what you need to know about this special occasion and how to celebrate it.

Día de Reyes commemorates the arrival of the three wise men, or “three kings,” at Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem. For many, this celebration includes religious traditions, but at its core, it honors the three men who brought gifts to the newborn Jesus—giving rise to today’s tradition of exchanging gifts, especially with children.

While the specifics vary across countries, here are three key elements that are central to Día de Reyes celebrations in Latin America and beyond.

Rosca de Reyes

A central part of the festivities is the rosca de reyes, a sweet, circular bread popular in many countries, especially Mexico. Portugal has a similar version called bolo rei. This traditional bread is made with flour, topped with dried fruits and sugar, and often contains little figurines, or monitos, representing baby Jesus.

The tradition goes that whoever finds a figurine in their slice of rosca is responsible for hosting a tamale feast on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas Day) on February 2.

@alejandrofrommx

Did you know about this holiday? #diadereyes #rosca #roscadereyes #bread #baking #food #history #culture #mexico #traditions #fyp

♬ El Burrito de Belen Aka el Burrito Sabanero - Voces Infantiles

Pair the rosca with traditional drinks like atole or hot chocolate for the ultimate Día de Reyes experience.

@lalauribe_

This is the best way to make chocolate caliente 🍫🫶🏼 My goal is to always celebrate our Mexican culture so my son can build valuable memories with his family 🇲🇽❤️ #diadereyes #diadereyesmagos #roscadereyes #hotchocolate #mexicanstyle

♬ Somos lo que somos - LEDS_MUSICA

Delicious Food

Of course, no Latino celebration is complete without plenty of food. Before diving into the rosca, families enjoy dishes like buñuelos, pozole, or tamales.

@anatovarnelson

Recipe🇲🇽⤵️ This one is ✨EASY✨ I promise homegirl! Also part two I will teach you another way to eat it but it’s a few more steps. AAAAAAND also for reals @walmart has @tortillalandtortillas and that’s what I used for this recipe. Okay, the recipe for real this time ⤵️ - sugar - cinnamon - oil - ✨FLOUR✨ tortillas (no, you can’t substitute) In a pan heat your oil while you mix the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and poke small holes in all of your tortillas. Once oil is hot lower to med/low and cook raw tortilla one side at a time. Shake off the oil a bit and quickly add the sugar/cinnamon mixture to your liking. Place aside to cool off and enjoy!!! I recommend ONLY to use raw flour tortillas not cooked or processed flour tortillas. ♥️♥️ Buñuelos | buñuelos mexicanos | Mexican recipes | flour tortilla recipes | flour tortilla desserts | Mexican snacks | Mexican dessert | flour tortillas #buñuelos #buñuelosmexicanos #flourtortillas #easymexicanrecipes #mexicanrecipes

♬ original sound - Ana Nelson

Gift-Giving

As a nod to the gifts brought by the three wise men, families exchange presents with children.

@lulufreelance

Hagamos un dulcero e forma de corona para este 6 de Enero #navidad2024 #reyesmagos #regalo #ideasparavender #dulcerospersonalizados #creatorsearchinsights

♬ Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

In Puerto Rico, families add their own unique twist by leaving out wine and grapes for the kings the night before.

How will you be celebrating Día de Reyes this year?