Also known as Epiphany, this day marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and is embodied most in the story of the three wise men visiting newborn Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Here in Vallarta, the traditional cake, Rosca de Reyes, a crown-shaped circle of dough usually decorated with fruits like dried figs, orange peels and cherries are prepared. Our local panaderia, using an old family recipe and their wood-fired oven, bake hundreds of these cakes only on the evening before, for distribution to local bakeries.  We stopped in to buy ours, and received a warm, just out of the oven sample!

According to custom, a small figure of baby Jesus is baked into each rosca, to represent the fact that he had to be hidden and protected at birth. When the time comes to cut the rosca, tradition dictates that whoever finds the baby Jesus figurine, must provide tamales and drinks for the celebration of Candelaria, or Candelmas, which marks the end of the holiday season on February 2^nd, and is the day families take their year’s supply of candles to the church for blessing.

Sandra Cesca for Learn Vallarta.