Dive Brief:
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Jan. 6 is twelve days after Christmas—the subject of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song, the day that tradition holds that three magi went to Bethlehem to bestow gifts on a newborn Jesus, and a traditional day of gift-giving and celebration among many Spanish-speaking and Latino cultures. The "Three Kings" leave gifts under some trees, just like Santa does.
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Although Hispanics in the U.S. have emerged as one of the most important consumer blocs, “Three Kings Day” hasn’t yet emerged as a major force in retail.
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Half of Hispanics said they celebrate Three Kings Day, even more in Spanish-speaking households (74%) and among less-acculturated Hispanics (81%), according to the multi-cultural marketing firm ThinkNowResearch. Meanwhile, 38% of U.S. Hispanics buy gifts to celebrate the holiday and 49% plan to serve special foods that day, research shows. This year, Target is touting the day as perfect for family-centric activities and its stores as the perfect places to prepare.
Dive Insight:
The Realitychangers YouTube channel features a proudly Hispanic and musical family and has become hugely popular. The parents, Nancy and Jorge Narvaez, could be typical of many Hispanic Americans, who may have celebrated Three Kings Day with their own families in childhood, but are just now reviving the tradition with their own daughters.
“This is going to be the first year that we celebrate Three Kings Day together as a family,” Jorge said on Target's blog, which the retailer is using to tout the holiday, featuring several family-friendly games. “When we do, Nancy and I would like to teach them the importance of giving, of family and show them the value in spending time together.”
Miguel Perez, who runs the blog Hidden Hispanic Heritage, told NBC News last year that it’s a missed opportunity for retailers.
"It's our own holiday for Hispanic children; it's a great opportunity to instill our culture," he said. "It's a real shame that some people have told me 'I've forgotten about that' when I talk about Three Kings. While Santa has been overpowering, there's no reason we can't do both. There is a huge market here (in the U.S.) that toymakers and retailers are not even exploiting.”
