Epiphany marks the visit of the Three Kings, or Magi, to baby Jesus. Despite being nearly two weeks late, these guys certainly did not intend on cutting the festivities short. Indeed, they extended celebrations for the birth of Christ past Twelfth Night on January 5 all the way until Mardi Gras. To commemorate such devoted partiers, many countries around the world still bake a King's Cake (or several) throughout the months of January and February.
In France, children and adults alike look forward to the flaky, buttery tart with its rich layer of frangipane. But not just for its sweet indulgence - tradition goes that a little charm will be hidden inside the tart and the person who happens to eat the surprise slice containing the charm will be crowned King or Queen for the day! This is a very serious undertaking, and fairness is ensured by forcing the youngest in the party to slip under the table and randomly assign each slice.
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| Collecting charms is part of the fun! |
As with parking spots and radio sweepstakes, some always seem luckier in receiving the special slice... Like my sister!
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