While some Midlothian residents will be disposing of their Christmas tree right after New Year’s Day, those who celebrate Three Kings Day will be preparing for the big finale to their holiday season.

Also known as the Feast of the Epiphany in places like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, and even in some homes in Midlothian, the
traditional gift exchange will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 6. It marks the arrival of the Three Kings to Bethlehem in the Christmas story 12 days after Christmas.

For Midlothian resident Mirta Martin, a native of Cuba, she has embraced the definition of the holiday season by way of her Cuban roots, the childhood she had in Spain and her adaptation to the American version of Christmas to now incorporate all of it into one long and happy chance to gather with family and friends.

“We’ve taken a bit of both cultures, since my children and husband are American,” Martin said, an executive vice president for the John Tyler Community College Foundation. Martin explained the family begins the celebration of Christmas on Christmas Eve with a traditional ‘Nochebuena’ feast that features the savory tastes of mouth-watering Spanish food like black beans and rice, plantains, yuca and flan.

Martin is nostalgic when recalling her family’s Three Kings Day ritual while they were living in Spain. “In Spain, Cuba
and some other Latin American countries, children and many adults polish and leave their shoes ready for the Kings’ presents before they go to bed on the eve of Jan. 6,” she said.

A similar tradition of gifts tucked in shoes is also found in northern Europe. However, it precedes the Christmas holidays with the celebration of the St. Nicholas feast on Dec. 6.

“Often times, we fi nd ourselves divided by our cultures and our traditions. We tend to look at our differences, when we should be looking into our similarities,” she said.

Mirta noted the Three Kings bring toy requests, and normally children receive just three gifts, representing the three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the kings to the baby Jesus. “Mom and Dad and relatives bring clothes [as gifts] followed by the ritual of the Rosca de Reyes shared with family and friends and enjoyed with hot chocolate and churros.”

The festivities extend the holiday cheer as well as celebrate the family’s heritage. “I believe we can continue to revere our heritage and morph it, or adapt it, to our new homeland.”