The most beautiful traditions for Three Kings Night 2026

Although Santa Claus has an advantage by arriving at homes with all of Christmas ahead, the tradition of the Three Wise Men is so deeply rooted in our country that it remains firmly the favorite option of the majority of the population.

No matter how tired we get from Christmas to the afternoon of January 5, the desire to continue enjoying reappears suddenly even in those who exhausted it on New Year's Eve, especially if there are little ones at home. It is not surprising that for many adults this continues to be one of the most beautiful days of the year.

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One of the most beautiful things about this festival is that in each house it is experienced in a very personal way. The parade, the roscón and the gifts are the main protagonists, but in every home there are customs that are passed from generation to generation. Almost all of them are similar because they come from the same origin but, as with the rules of Parcheesi, they are personalized to such an extent that it is difficult to find two families that live it exactly the same.

What we like most in any case about the Three Kings traditions is that time does not pass by them. They are as simple as they were for our grandparents, and that makes them even more special. These are our favorites.

See the parade

Unfortunately, it will not be like this in 2020 but the parades will return and we will all be more eager than ever to prepare the hat, gloves, scarf and bag for candy (this detail is very important) to go back down to the same corner as always to see Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar. And as soon as they pass, run home before the cold creeps in to your toenails to see their visit to one of the big cities whose parade is broadcast on television.

Prepare a snack for the Kings

There is no house in which a detail is not prepared for Their Majesties before the little ones go to bed. Water for the camels and a glass of milk or a bottle of champagne also for the Kings. And to eat, a little nougat, some pollorones or some chocolates. Curiously, it is usually the favorite drink and sweet of the adults in the house that prevails in this tradition...

place the shoes

There are those who prefer to put a boot because they can fit more sweets, others opt for a boot because in the morning they do not want to go barefoot on one foot to the living room. Someone puts on a trainer and another puts on a shoe. The important thing is that choosing each one their own is part of the ritual, and as long as it is clear who each one belongs to, the shoe chosen is the least important thing.

Get together with family

Some families have developed a new tradition in recent years: getting together as a family, eating chocolate cakes and giving each other gifts when midnight arrives on the 5th. It is not as widespread as other customs, but it is interesting, especially in families where there are no children anymore, because this is a way to keep the fuse of excitement for Three Kings Day lit. And if an adult dresses up as the Wizard King, it's even more fun.

Choose the toys that you are going to leave to other children

Like the previous tradition, this one is not as widespread as those of a lifetime, but there are also more and more families that on the afternoon of the 5th choose the toys in good condition that they will leave next to their shoes so that other children who cannot receive the visit of the Three Wise Men also have a happy Three Kings' Day - even if they receive their gift later, when the parents can take them to one of the solidarity collections that are organized. This is a tradition worth giving voice to so that no child is left without a gift.

Everyone go to bed early

Although in some cases “everyone” is not like that, for the little ones in the house it is because they are so nervous that they would not go to sleep if their parents did not do the same. Furthermore, they know every step of the day 5 routine like no one else, and going to bed early is essential if they do not want to risk the Kings passing them by. It is a simple but very special tradition because it almost never happens during the year that the entire house turns off at the same time.

Eat roscón

As much as the roscón has its own “Santa Claus” in the panettone, the Three Kings roscón has no rival in the first week of the year. Some eat it on the 5th in the afternoon with their family, at home or on the street, others have it for breakfast on the 6th, and many repeat it both days. Some even freeze a piece so they don't have to miss it for a whole year! It is a sweet that you may or may not like, but thinking about it and the smile appears on your face immediately because it makes some of the best memories of your life emerge in your memory.