Día de Reyes

Rosca de Reyes is eaten on Día de Reyes, or the Epiphany, each year. It’s a tradition that came over from Spain to Mexico and eventually the southern states. It marks the day when, according to the Christian faith, the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem arrived with gifts for baby Jesus. That date falls on Jan. 6, exactly 12 days after Christmas.

In central Mexico and the southern states, children wait until Día de Reyes to open many of their gifts because in Mexico and other countries, the Reyes Magos are the ones who deliver the toys, not Santa Claus.

So what exactly is Rosca de Reyes?

Much of Latin America also celebrates by eating the popular “Three Kings Bread,” or Rosca de Reyes. (Bonus: it’s served with Mexican hot chocolate!)

The bejeweled-looking bread is meant to symbolize the gifts given to baby Jesus, and inside the bread is a little plastic baby, symbolizing the newborn messiah. If you get the baby in your slice, you have to cook tamales for everyone on Feb. 2, or Candelaria Day.