Three Kings Day Gifts for January 6, from the Big Present to the Coal

By the Gift DeskUpdated October 24, 202616 hand-picked ideas

If the letter is short on details

Main present, ages 7 to 12LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Set~$50
The coal jokeCandy Coal~$8
For the whole familyTicket to Ride Board Game~$50

The short answer

For a child, the Kings bring the main present of the season, so aim for something they asked for in their letter: a LEGO Creator 3-in-1 set or a kids' digital camera both delight. Add turrón and a bag of candy coal by the shoes for the grown-up joke.

In Spain, the presents that matter most to children don’t come on December 25. They come on the morning of January 6, from Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, who ride through every town on camels (or tractors, or floats) the evening before and then do their rounds at night. Children write them a letter in December, leave their shoes by the window or the tree, set out water for the camels and something sweet for the Kings, and go to bed early for once. Many Latin American families, and plenty in the US, Puerto Rico especially, keep the same night, sometimes with a shoebox of grass for the camels.

Because it’s the big gift day, this page treats it that way. It starts with the main present for a child, then explains the letter, the parade and the shopping calendar, then covers the sweets and the famous lump of coal that go beside the shoes, a family game for the afternoon, and gifts for the adults, who in many homes get something from the Kings too.

For more ideas by age, see Christmas gifts for kids and gifts for kids by age; for the small things, stocking stuffers for kids works just as well next to a shoe.

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The big morning: what the Kings bring children

Children in Spain usually get one main present from the Kings and a few smaller ones, while Papá Noel, if he comes at all, brings less on December 25. So this is the moment for the thing they actually asked for, chosen from the letter rather than from a store’s idea of what kids want.

Pick presents they can open and use straight away, on a holiday morning with nowhere to go.

Our favorite1
LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Set (View on Amazon)
LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Forest Animals Wolf
A LEGO set that builds three different models from the same box, so it’s three mornings of building rather than one. It’s the sort of present the Kings are famous for: big enough to feel like the main event, with the whole of January 6 to put it together. Best from about seven to twelve; younger builders will need a grown-up for the first model.
On Amazonabout $50 More like this
2
Kids Digital Camera (View on Amazon)
A sturdy camera made for small hands, with games and silly frames built in. The first photos will be of the roscón, the cousins and the wrapping paper, which is exactly right. It frees children from borrowing a parent’s phone and, unlike a tablet, there’s no screen time to negotiate. Charge it and add a memory card the night before.
On Amazonabout $30 More like this
3
Adjustable Roller Skates for Kids (View on Amazon)
Roller Derby Trac Star Youth Adjustable Skates
Skates that expand by several sizes, so they still fit next year. January 6 is a holiday, and children want to try their present outside at once; skates give the whole family a reason to go to the park after breakfast. Add knee pads and a helmet in the same box, so the first fall isn’t the last outing.
On Amazonabout $45 More like this
4
Kids Walkie Talkies (View on Amazon)
Kids Throwback Walkie Talkies with Flashlight
A pair of walkie-talkies with a long range, for siblings or cousins to share. They’re played with all over the house within minutes, cost much less than the bigger gifts, and work as a joint present when two children’s letters overlap. Put batteries in both before wrapping.
On Amazonabout $25 More like this
5
Crystal Growing Experiment Kit (View on Amazon)
National Geographic Mega Crystal Growing Kit
A science kit that grows real crystals over a few days, for a curious child who asked the Kings for something to make. It’s a quiet present for the slow days after the holidays, when school hasn’t started again. Better from eight; the steps need patience and some help with measuring.
On Amazonabout $40 More like this

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The letter, the parade and the shopping calendar

The letter to the Kings (la carta a los Reyes Magos) is written in December and is the easiest way to find out what a child wants. Encourage a short list with a favorite at the top, and keep a copy. Shops stay open and busy until the afternoon of January 5, and the January sales usually begin on the 7th, so buying early saves stress but not money. If you’re sending a present to a child in Spain, have it arrive by January 4 at the latest.

On the evening of the 5th, most towns hold the Cabalgata, the Kings' parade, with sweets thrown from the floats. Afterward children put their shoes out and leave a snack: water for the camels and something for the Kings. The morning of the 6th brings presents, then the roscón de Reyes, a ring-shaped cake with a small figure and a dried bean hidden inside. Whoever finds the figure wears the paper crown; whoever finds the bean pays for next year’s cake.

By the shoes: sweets, and coal for the cheeky

Next to the presents the Kings leave sweets, and children who’ve been a bit naughty find carbón, a lump of coal. Everyone knows it’s sugar, which is the fun of it.

6.
Candy Coal (View on Amazon)
Black sugar candy that looks exactly like coal. Leave one piece for every child, good or not, and enjoy the faces before they taste it.
On Amazonabout $8More like this
7.
Spanish Turron Assortment (View on Amazon)
Our pick: El Almendro Turrón 3-Variety Pack
Hard and soft almond turrón, on the table from Christmas Eve to Reyes. Leave a piece out for the Kings and give the rest to the grown-ups.
On Amazonabout $25More like this
8.
Hot Chocolate Gift Set with Mug and Marshmallows (View on Amazon)
Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate Gift Set with Mug
Hot chocolate and a mug, for dunking roscón on the morning of the 6th. A small, warm extra for a child or a grandparent.
On Amazonabout $20More like this

One game for the whole family, after the roscón

January 6 is a long day at home with everyone around the table. A game from the Kings to the whole household gets played that afternoon, and again every holiday after.

9
Ticket to Ride Board Game (View on Amazon)
Days of Wonder Ticket to Ride
A train-route board game that ten-year-olds and grandparents learn in one round. The most likely to come out again next Reyes.
On Amazonabout $50 More like this
10
Spot It Card Game (View on Amazon)
Spot It! Classic Card Game
A fast matching game in a small tin, where small children often beat adults. Fits in a shoe, so it can come from the Kings too.
On Amazonabout $15 More like this
11
Exploding Kittens Card Game (View on Amazon)
Exploding Kittens Original Edition
A silly, quick card game for older kids and teens. Loud, short rounds, which is about the right length after a big lunch.
On Amazonabout $20 More like this
12
Classic Clue Mystery Board Game (View on Amazon)
Hasbro Clue Board Game
The murder-mystery classic, for a family that likes to argue about who did it. Good from about eight, with a grown-up keeping score.
On Amazonabout $14 More like this

The Kings remember the grown-ups, too

In plenty of Spanish homes the adults get something on January 6 as well, usually smaller and more practical than the children’s presents. It’s a nice way to make sure grandparents, aunts and partners don’t spend the morning only watching.

13
Cozy Sherpa Slippers (View on Amazon)
Warm, closed slippers for January mornings on cold tile floors, which most Spanish homes have. A grandparent will wear them the same day. Note their shoe size quietly in December, when the letters are being written; asking on the 5th gives the game away.
On Amazonabout $35 More like this
14
Silk Twill Square Scarf (View on Amazon)
A printed silk square for a mother, aunt or grandmother who dresses up for the family lunch. Light enough to wear indoors, and easy to wrap so it sits flat beside a pair of shoes. Go by the colors she already wears; a scarf in her usual palette gets worn, a bold new one tends to stay folded.
On Amazonabout $35 More like this
15
Literary Scented Candle (View on Amazon)
Steel Mill & Co. Persuasion Book Candle
A candle inspired by a classic novel, for the adult who reads through the long holiday weekend. It’s a thoughtful small present that pairs well with a paperback, and it suits someone you buy for every year and have run out of ideas for. Ask what they’re reading now and pair the candle with the next book.
On Amazonabout $25 More like this
16
Cashmere Blend Lounge Socks (View on Amazon)
Soft lounge socks, the grown-up version of the shoe tradition: something warm for the feet, left right where the shoes were. They suit a partner as well as a parent, and at this price they make a good companion to a bigger present from the same family.
On Amazonabout $30 More like this

Planning the whole list?Christmas budget calculatorSet one total, add who's on your list, and see how much each person gets.

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

Kids Walkie Talkies~$25 Candy Coal~$8 Spanish Turron Assortment~$25

Hot Chocolate Gift Set with Mug and Marshmallows~$20

Spot It Card Game~$15

Exploding Kittens Card Game~$20

Classic Clue Mystery Board Game~$14

Literary Scented Candle~$25

$25–$50

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Set~$50

Kids Digital Camera~$30

Adjustable Roller Skates for Kids~$45

Crystal Growing Experiment Kit~$40

Ticket to Ride Board Game~$50 Cozy Sherpa Slippers~$35

Silk Twill Square Scarf~$35

Cashmere Blend Lounge Socks~$30

How to make Reyes run smoothly

Use the letter to the Kings. Ask for it early in December, keep a copy, and buy from the top of the list.
One main present per child is plenty, with a few small things by the shoes. If Papá Noel also comes on December 25, keep his gifts smaller.
Buy before January 5. Shops are packed that day, and many popular toys sell out after the parade.
Don’t forget the snack: water for the camels and turrón or milk for the Kings, half eaten by morning.
Short on ideas for a particular child? Ask our gift finder with their age and what they’re into.

Three Kings Day questions

What do kids get on Three Kings Day?

In Spain, the main presents of the season: usually one bigger gift from their letter, such as a building set, a camera or skates, plus a few small things and sweets left by their shoes. Naughty children, in theory, get coal, which is really sugar candy.

When do you open Three Kings Day presents?

On the morning of January 6. The Kings' parade is on the evening of January 5, and children put their shoes out that night.

What do you leave out for the Three Kings?

Water for the camels and a snack for the Kings, often turrón, cookies or milk. In some Latin American and Puerto Rican families, children fill a shoebox with grass or hay for the camels.

Do adults get gifts on Three Kings Day?

Often, yes, though smaller ones. Slippers, a scarf, a book or a candle are typical, and in many families everyone finds a little something by their shoes.

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The big morning: what the Kings bring children

Know exactly who it’s for?

The letter, the parade and the shopping calendar

By the shoes: sweets, and coal for the cheeky

One game for the whole family, after the roscón

The Kings remember the grown-ups, too

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

How to make Reyes run smoothly

Three Kings Day questions

Related gift guides

The big morning: what the Kings bring children

Know exactly who it’s for?

The letter, the parade and the shopping calendar

By the shoes: sweets, and coal for the cheeky

One game for the whole family, after the roscón

The Kings remember the grown-ups, too

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50