Who else is looking forward to Three Kings Day / Epiphany?

[TwnklTwnklLittleStarfighter]

Who else is planning Three Kings’ Day, and what do you do?

For us, the night before, the children put their shoes under the tree and write a note to their favourite King. In the morning, they have a small present in their shoe. (Sometimes 3 presents, I’m not very consistent!).

We take the tree down together, and have a nice meal in the evening.

I’d love to hear what other people are doing!

We're in Spain and it's a big deal here - Spanish kids don't get gifts on Christmas Day, they get them from the Kings! There's usually big parades in all the towns but it's obviously been massively cut back this year. There are designated points around town where you can go and meet them and get a bag of sweets or something, but I'm thinking we might avoid it and just stay in with a roscon de reyes (celebration cake thingy that it traditional).

Take the decs down after the wise men have arrived at our nativity scene.

I think three kings night is more of a Spanish thing isn’t it? The traditional English thing was a twelfth night party and cake- like our current Christmas cake - I’ve done that in previous years, though obviously not this year due to covid.

When DS is a bit bigger will see if there’s an epiphany bible story for children.

It’s my youngest Gdc’s birthday, so we’ll be celebrating anyway, even if we can’t be there. A most precious gift on the 6th last year.

An old GH cookbook of mine has a recipe for Twelfth Night cake, in a section about throwing a Twelfth Night party.

When we lived among Greek Cypriots, presents were given to children on the 6th.

We have neighbours who are of Armenian Orthodox origin and celebrate Christmas on the 6th.

We actually have some frankincense, acquired in Oman (where the tree of the resin grows) many years ago. I’m now wondering how to burn some on the day.

I do like the idea of leaving some lights up for Candlemas. I think I’ll leave the lights in a huge houseplant - more like a tree really.

It sounds preferable to the Russian way of celebrating Epiphany which is to jump into icy water!

My mum is French so we always did a brioche or gallette for epiphany and we will take the tree and decs down.

Would you mind sharing the cake recipe please, @GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER ?

Normally I would go to church then take the tree down but church isn't opening weekdays currently.

It's bad luck to take the decorations down before that apparently so I generally leave them up until the 7th as I celebrate Nollag na mBan (women's Christmas) with friends and family. Usually (not this year obviously) a group of women get together to eat, drink and make merry to celebrate. It's a lovely day.

I lived in France for a while so have adopted the tradition. I make a galette des rois and hide a coin for the DC to find. It’s become a family tradition and we all really enjoy it. Take the tree down after we have done that.

It's bad luck to take the decorations down before that apparently so I generally leave them up until the 7th

I don't believe in the bad luck thing, so I usually take the tree and decorations down on NY Day. I like to start the New Year back to normal.

I'm Catholic so look forward to epiphany as the last festival of Christmas. I did a house blessing last year which I will do again and get the dc involved in. Instructions can be found online.

I blessed the chalk myself using a prayer our priest gave us, something like that given below.

We have had a blessed year in 2020 so think I'm going to keep it up "just in case".

Bless, + O Lord God, this creature, chalk, and let it be a help to mankind. Grant that those who will use it with faith in your most holy name, and with it inscribe on the doors of their homes the names of your saints, Casper, Melchior, and Baltassar, may through their merits and intercession enjoy health in body and protection of soul; through Christ our Lord.

We have a lot of friends in Spain where this is a very big celebration - bigger than Christmas Day.
It's not so common here in UK.

DH is half Spanish, we have been in Spain for “Los Reyes” and it was like a Carnival. We don’t normally celebrate here, but if I can’t get around to taking down the decorations then I claim that is the reason!

Spaniard here. Def not a new thing just a different tradition. Italians do it as well I believe.

I’m from the Basque Country so for me the 25th is also important. When I was a child my homes presents were on the 25th and on the 6th it was family presents.

Here in the uk I’m gonna get some token presents for my son and husband. We don’t do Xmas eve presents tho

In normal times, I’d go to church for Epiphany. We always hold a little prayer service at home around the manger and do the traditional “Epiphany Door Blessing” with blessed chalk which is a lovely tradition. Have a lovely meal, take down the decorations, have my last mince pie of Christmas before bed lol.

I don’t have children yet but when I do I plan on making it a more special day, with baking, crown making, little gifts and more Christian family based crafts and traditions.

I love Epiphany, it’s one of my favourite liturgical dates.

@lazylinguist - I don't believe in the bad luck thing, so I usually take the tree and decorations down on NY Day. I like to start the New Year back to normal.

I don't actually believe it's bad luck but I stick with it for tradition's sake. Plus I like the decorations

I have never managed to buy a fève though. Any French or Francophile mumsnetters please tell me where I can find one!

3 kings cake and gradually take down the decorations. My youngest DC really likes the 3 kings.

Sad we can't do our usual Nollaig na mban this year - a load of friends get together for a meal out. Started a few years ago, when a friend from Cork suggested it (we're in NI). Lovely tradition.

I used to live in France so will make a version of the Gallette des Rois.

@mammmamia

I have never managed to buy a fève though. Any French or Francophile mumsnetters please tell me where I can find one!

Me too! Would love one

I always try and fail to keep the Christmas feeling going for the actual 12 day season so I'm following with interest.

It is the 12th Night of Christmas. But I don't think it's widely celebrated in the UK.

Our Xmas tree gets taken down on the 7th of January, after the Epiphany. Only then is Xmas truly over.

I was extremely surprised to hear some people take down their tree on Boxing Day. Christmas has only got started then!

@mammmamia

I have never managed to buy a fève though. Any French or Francophile mumsnetters please tell me where I can find one!

You could try Amazon.fr. The first ones listed are expensive sets but these are reasonable fèves

We are in Italy so that means that on the night of the fifth the befana (a witch) will leave each child a stocking full of sweets - or coal for the naughty ones. Normally we walk into town to see the procession of the three kings arrive on their camels and horses, bearing their gifts. Often you can also spot the befana as she wanders the streets. This year that's not happening though ! I would like to try my hand at baking a gallette des rois and celebrating at home. The 6th is always a bank holiday and school starts the next day.

It’s so nice to hear others’ traditions . I might have to try baking a gallette des rois. That’s not something we have done before.