Day of Los Reyes – January 6, 2025

History of Day of Los Reyes

Day of Los Reyes is an annual Catholic holiday celebrated on January 6. The original name in Spanish is ‘Día de Los Reyes,’ meaning ‘honor the wise men.’ The holiday commemorates the arrival of the wise men at the birth of Jesus Christ. In the Christian Bible’s accounts of the birth of Jesus, wise men from the east arrived at the site where Jesus was born, worshipped him, and presented him with precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Unlike other Latin American countries, the celebration of Día de Los Reyes in Uruguay takes a different shape because of the country’s unique religious situation. In 1916, the church and the state were officially separated in Uruguay. In 1919, the government adopted a secular calendar when a liberal elite man waged a battle in parliament and succeeded in removing Christianity from the country’s calendar. Christmas is now known as Family Day, Easter is now known as Tourism Week, the Immaculate Conception feast is now known as Beach Day, and Da de Los Reyes is now known as Day of the Child or ‘Da del Nio’ in Spanish. Today, Uruguay is the most secular country in all of Latin America.

Nevertheless, certain Christian practices still hold sway on the Dia de Los Reyes. For instance, children and some adults polish their shoes and leave them outside the night before in preparation to receive the kings’ gifts. Also, sweet wine, milk, and fruit are left for the kings and camels, just as milk and cookies are left for Santa Claus in the Western world. In addition, tasty treats such as ‘roscon de Reyes’ are shared at parties. It is also on the Day of Los Reyes that young ones finally receive their Christmas presents.