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Although Christmas has passed, it is still upon us.
Much of the world celebrates the birth of the Christ child on Jan. 6, not Dec. 25, as we do here in America.
Jan. 6 marks the day on which the Three Kings – Magi from the East – guided by the divine star, arrived in Bethlehem seeking the King of Kings.
In the liturgy of Eastern Orthodoxy, from the Armenian, Syrian and Egyptian Coptic churches to the Greek, Russian and Ethiopian traditions, the Feast of the Epiphany is held on the Twelfth Night.
Even though their religious ties are linked more closely to Roman Catholic traditions, Christians in Central and South America, and Europe, raucously observe Jan. 6 with song, cakes, gifts and flowers.
[img]264|left|||no_popup[/img] The Irish call the day Little Christmas. In Holland and Belgium, it’s called Drie Koningen (Three Kings' Day). To the devoted in the Philippines, Spain and the Americas, Jan. 6 is El Dia de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings.)
How to Celebrate
The French prepare a Gâteau des Rois or King’s Cake with a porcelain figurine of king baked inside. The person finding the trinket will receive a special gift or be dubbed “king for a day.”
The New Testament recounts the arrival of the Persian Kings bearing tributes of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Although most us of wish – especially in hard times – that gold could be grown on trees, you can mark Kings’ Day by planting myrrh or a boswellia sacra – the Mediterranean tree from which frankincense is derived.
[img]265|left|Myrrh||no_popup[/img] Both myrrh and the boswellia sacra are hearty and well-suited to our semi-arid climate.
While myrrh and frankincense have had sacred significance since ancient times, they also were adopted as medicines for physical ailments. Both plants secrete a resin that, with proper instruction, can be harvested to make a hard incense or fragrant oil. Wrapped in an attractive gold foil, they can be fashioned in to a unique and spiritually meaningful gift for future holidays.
[img]266|left|Boswellia sacra||no_popup[/img] And on the Sweet Side
Fruits and nuts also hold particular prominence this festive holiday. In Spain, Mexico and Portugal, their King’s cakes are adorned with brightly colored candied dried fruits and nuts. Mexican celebrants fill their piñata with these decorative sweets.
In the mild climate of Southern California, where the soil rarely freezes below the surface, January is a wonderful time to plant dwarf orange and Meyer lemon trees. Their blooms are not only fragrant and will bear fruit, but their diminutive stature makes them an ideal ornamental feature for almost any traditional garden.
While they are bit harder to come by, miniature almond and walnut trees are a marvelous companion to other dwarf specimens. They love full sun, and at a maximum height of six to seven feet, will provide moderate shade for picnics at their base, without crowding the available precious sunlight from your garden.
Next year, if you are intent on making your own Gâteau des Rois or a manger to rejoice over the arrival of the Three Kings, you can host your friends and family in the comfort of your own garden of biblical distinction.
Carlos Saez is the owner of The Jungle Nursery, a leading designer garden center specializing in unique sculptural plants, tropicals, succulents, bamboo and a wide selection of indoor foliage including orchids. The Jungle, 1900 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles. 310. 235.2875.
Mr. Saez’ gardening column appears on Wednesdays.
