5 interesting ways to celebrate the legend of the three wise men

One of the Christmas legends celebrated by different people all over the world is that of the three wise men. Sometimes called the three kings, these men were said to have followed an unusual star in the sky to find the baby Jesus and give him three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This day, known by Christians as the Epiphany, is most commonly celebrated on January 6th although the exact date can vary. There are various ways of celebrating this date but here are five of our favourites.

Get the party started in the Louisiana, USA. Epiphany marks the beginning of the Carnival season in Louisiana, USA. Street parades start in New Orleans and there are balls and great food right through until Mardi Gras in February.
Make sure you’ve taken your Christmas decorations down. The eve of the Epiphany, also known as the twelfth night, is the date for taking down your Christmas decorations in many English-speaking countries. Make sure you do it before then or you risk bad luck in the coming year.
Eat Roscón de Reyes. A common treat in many Spanish-speaking countries, this circular pastry is a tasty way to celebrate the coming of the three wise men. While you are eating, be careful not to swallow the little figure of the baby Jesus hidden in the bread. If you find it, you will be lucky for the whole year.
Get wet in Bulgaria. If you want to try something more adventurous, head to Bulgaria. There is a Bulgarian tradition of throwing a cross into the icy sea, river or lake and racing to swim out and get. If you manage to reach the cross first, you will being good health to your whole household.
Sing and drink with your apple trees in England and Wales. Wassailing is a tradition in England and Wales that pre-dates the celebration of Epiphany in the UK. Although the exact method of wassailing varies depending on the region, drinking plenty of cider and singing to your apple trees is common to all wassailers. Make sure you wassail well so that your apple trees have a good harvest in the coming year.

How about in your country? Do you celebrate the coming of the three wise men? If so, how? Let us know using the comments section below or by sharing and commenting on this article on your favourite social media site.