Tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany! Close Out the Holidays with Flowers

How To Bring Flowers to Your Feast of the Epiphany

Sometimes it feels like the holiday season kicks off as soon as Halloween ends – storefronts begin to fill with gift ideas, recipes become increasingly grandiose, and the promise of relaxing, quality time spent with family is on everyone’s mind. On the other hand, the end of the holidays is less of a cultural moment. Some neighbors leave their trees up and Christmas lights illuminated for weeks after December 25, while others are ready to take down their decorations as early as Boxing Day. In our minds, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations officially close out during Three Kings’ Day or the Feast of the Epiphanies, which happens tomorrow! 

Three Kings’ Day takes place each year on January 6 and is a major cultural touchstone for Christians in Spain and Latin America. This special day celebrates the biblical story of the three magi’s visit to the newborn Jesus. As the story goes, the three kings came together and found baby Jesus by following a star across the desert. Their gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – represented exotic, valuable, sensory riches fit for a royal person. The Epiphany also commemorates Jesus’ baptism, which happened in his adulthood. After his baptism, he began offering teachings and amassed his holy following. Another way to think about an epiphany is a “revelation,” and both the visit of the magi and Jesus’ baptism were important moments during which Jesus’ purpose and divine nature were revealed. In present times, Three Kings’ Day is also a celebration of children. Latino communities celebrate with cakes with a tiny baby hidden inside, street parades, and gift-giving.

Here are some fun ways different cultures choose to observe the Feast of the Epiphany:

• In Spain, the Epiphany is called “La Fiesta de los Tres Reyes Mages,” representing the gift-giving day of the holiday season for children. Families will leave gifts for children as though the three kings delivered them. Spanish families also enjoy a special, round cake on the Epiphany that is filled with cream and decorated with a paper crown.
• French culture also observes the Epiphany with a special cake called a “Galette des Rois,” which is flat and almond-flavored. Children will scramble to find a toy crown that is cooked inside the cake.
• In Mexican Epiphany cakes, a tiny plastic baby Jesus is hidden inside. Whoever discovers the baby Jesus in their piece of cake becomes the caretaker or godparent of Jesus for the year. 
• Portuguese culture celebrates the three kings with memorable songs called Janeiras, or the carols of January. 
• Irish families observe the Epiphany by giving women a break from all housework. Instead, men are tasked with doing all of the cooking and cleaning, and women will spend their day socializing. 
• Several European countries have a tradition of posting a Christmas card bearing the three kings over their front doors. This is believed to be a token of good luck for the year to come in places such as Austria and Germany. 

How will you celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany this year? Rather than letting the holidays taper away gradually, close them out with a festive bang! Tap into your inner Wise Man to bring luxurious, exotic touches to your Three Kings Day celebration. We recommend warm-hued flowers such as yellow lilies, orange daisies, or pink roses for Three King’s Day celebrations. For instance, the energetic, cheerful Light My Fire centerpiece pairs a stately candle with yellow lilies, purple tulips, and carnations. Birds in Paradise, an exotic statement arrangement, features striking Birds of Paradise with popping purple orchids and lush greenery. For a softer, more neutral expression of joy, consider our Sunsets bouquet, where yellow roses nestle with pink snapdragons and delicate orange tulips.

Make flowers a part of every celebration. Allen’s Flower Market is proud to bring festive events to life for all and has been providing flowers to brighten celebrations for over 40 years. You can stop by our floral design stores in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley or peek at our wide variety of flowers and floral arrangements online: https://www.allensflowermarket.com/flowers-for-all-occasions/