A Rosca de Reyes is a crown of yeast and flour, usually decorated with crispy diamonds of sugary powder and jewels made of multicolored candied fruit peels and figs, guavas, and cherries. Inside one of the slices of this circular loaf of bread is a bite-size plastic toy baby meant to represent Jesus. The person who gets the slice with the inedible toy will owe his family or friends a tamales party on Dia de la Candelaría, which lands on February 2nd.
This old-school tradition is the center of El Día de Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day), which follows tamales eaten during Christmas. In many ways, it is an extension of the holiday season into the new year in many homes across Los Angeles.
The holiday's origin is a wild biblical story that involves the murdering of infants. But the short version is that three magic Reyes visit baby Jesus because the stars told them the babe was the new king on the block. The hidden figurine represents when Lil’ baby J hid from a grumpy old king who was trying to kill all the babies. But he lived! Until he didn’t … and then he did again!
And now we get king bread and tamales.
Traditionally, on January 6th, the Rosca is cut and dispersed among family, friends, or co-workers. Each person who is participating is given a piece. Whoever gets the plastic toy in their piece is tasked with throwing La Fiesta de La Candelaría. The toy is plastic these days, and some panaderías now put multiple baby Jesuses in their bread for the hell of it.