6th January

Epiphany, when the three kings gave Jesus their gifts.

In Italy they believe that Befana brings honey, dates and figs. A lot of countries exchange gifts now like we did on Christmas day and a lot of countries make a Twelfth Night Cake with a hard bean in it – here is a Spanish rosca de reyes:

and here is a French galette des rois.

Traditions include:

• the person finding the bean having to host the next party;
• the person finding the trinket or coin being king/queen for the evening and wearing a paper crown;
• Spanish children putting out their shoes for the Wise Kings to put presents in, along with hay and water for the animals they rode on.

First day of Carnival (until Shrove Tuesday).

Joan of Arc’s birthday (1412)

Gustav Dore born (1832)

1912 continental drift first proposed

New Mexico founded (1912), has many Hispanic and Native American inhabitants.