I thought it would be interesting to wander around the world and see how other countries celebrate January 6th. In our house, it is when the Christmas decorations come down and all the festive lights are turned off. It marks the end of the holiday season. This year I also decided to bake a Galette (courtesy of KAF). You can find the recipe here. But there were no hidden surprises!
Definition of epiphany: a Christian festival held on
Jan. 6, commemorating, in the Western Church, the manifestation of Christ to
the Magi and, in the Eastern Church, the baptism of Christ.
Traditions in different countries:
Belgium
(my heritage): The Dutch and Flemish call
this day Driekoningen, children in groups of three (symbolising the
three kings) proceed in costume from house to house while singing songs typical
for the occasion, and receiving a coin or some sweets at each door. Koningentaart(Kings'
tart),a puff pastry with almond filling, is prepared with a bean or coin hidden
inside. Whoever finds the bean in his or her piece is king or queen for the
day.
England: The
celebration is also known as Twelfth Night and was a traditional time
for mumming and the wassail. The yule log was left burning
until this day. A traditional dish for Epiphany was Twelfth Cake. As
in Europe, whoever found the baked-in bean was king for a day, but unique to
English tradition other items were sometimes included in the cake. Anything
spicy or hot, like ginger snaps and spiced ale, was considered proper Twelfth
Night fare, recalling the costly spices brought by the Wise Men. Another
English Epiphany dessert was the jam tart, but made into a six-point star for
the occasion to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and thus called Epiphany
tart.
FRANCE:
In France people eat gâteau des Rois in Provence (made
of brioche) or the galette des Rois (puff pastry with
almond cream) in the northern half of France and Belgium. This
is a kind of king cake, with a trinket (usually a porcelain figurine) or a
bean hidden inside. The person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket
becomes "king" for a day.
Ireland: The Irish call
Epiphany Little Christmas or "Women's Christmas" (Irish: Nollaig
na mBan). On the feast of the Three Kings the women of Ireland in
times gone by had a bit of rest and celebration for themselves, after the
cooking and work of the Christmas holidays. It has long been a custom for women
to gather this day for a special high tea, but on the occasion of Epiphany
accompanied by wine, to honor the Miracle at the Wedding at Cana. Today
Irish women may spend the day shopping, take a meal at a restaurant or spend
the evening at gathering in a pub.
United
States: In Colorado around Manitou
Springs, Epiphany is marked by the Great Fruitcake Toss. Fruitcakes are
thrown, participants dress as kings, fools, etc., and competitions are held for
the farthest throw, the most creative projectile device, etc. As with customs
in other countries, the fruitcake toss is a sort of festive symbolic leave-taking
of the Christmas holidays until next year, but with humorous twist, since
fruitcake (although the traditional Christmas bread of America, England and
other English speaking nations) is considered in the United States with a
certain degree of derision, and is the source of many jokes.
In Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of
the Carnival season, during which it is customary to bake King
Cakes. The person who finds the doll (or bean) must provide the next king
cake. The Carnival season begins on King's Day (Epiphany).
