Camels and frankincense: Get ready for Three Kings Day in Brooklyn

January 1, 2013 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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The Christmas season doesn’t end on Dec. 25 – wise kings Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar will be riding live camels along Graham Avenue this Sunday, Jan. 6 as part of the 16th annual Three Kings Day Parade in Williamsburg.

The parade will kick off at 1 p.m. at Meeker and Graham avenues – complete with kings, donkeys, floats, music and hundreds of costumed marchers. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who last week presented toys and a proclamation to parade president Radames Millan and the Parade Committee, will be on the scene.

Also known as the Feast of the Epiphany, Three Kings Day (Día de los Tres Reyes Magos) commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings from the East who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts -– frankincense, gold and myrrh –- to the Christ child.

In Latin America, Three Kings Day is an occasion to give presents and eat the ring-shaped rosca de reyes (bread of kings), which has little plastic Jesus figurines hidden inside. In the U.S., many people keep their Christmas trees up until this “last day” of the Christmas season.

See www.tresreyesmagos.org or call (718) 782-8753 for more information.

Kids can also celebrate the holiday by making jeweled crowns at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 5 and 6 at 2:30 p.m. (145 Brooklyn Ave. at St Marks Avenue; www.brooklynkids.org)