How do I tell my child the truth about the Three Kings?

This year, the big moment has arrived, after dodging the question several times:

“Mom, tell me the truth, who are the Three Kings?”, I decided I could no longer wait to give him an answer, so I took him out for a snack one day and told him:

• I'm going to tell you the truth about the Three Kings…

And so I began to tell him the story I had already looked up online and adapted in my own way. What I was sure of is that it couldn't be as simple as telling him, “yes son, it's your parents”.

This is the story I told him and here I leave it for you so you can use it when your moment comes:

The story I told him about the Three Kings

When the Three Wise Men of the Orient arrived in Bethlehem guided by a great star, they brought gifts to the baby Jesus as a sign of love and respect. Upon seeing the child's joyful face, all three at once thought: “If only we could bring gifts to all the children in the world so we could see this joyful face on them”

But it was Melchior who was the first to speak:

• It would be wonderful, but however much magicians we are, it's impossible to bring gifts to the millions of children there are in the world. Besides, we're already very old, especially me, and it's getting harder and harder for me to make long journeys.

Gaspar and Balthasar knew he was right and grew very sad thinking they wouldn't be able to make all the children happy. Then they heard the voice of the baby Jesus in their hearts:

• I would also like for you to be able to fulfill your wish, tell me, what do you need to make it come true.
• We would need many pages, millions of pages to carry gifts in different parts of the world. At the very least we should have one per family to be able to do it
• I will give you two pages per child
• But that's not possible, that's too many pages, where are you going to get them?
• The pages must love children very much and they would also have to know their wishes well in order to get the gifts right, isn't that so?
• That would be fantastic!
• Then tell me; Is there anyone who loves children more than their own parents?

The Three Wise Men nodded slowly, understanding what the baby Jesus was proposing to them. So, joining their magic to the child's, they turned all the parents in the world into pages.

Why we parents become pages

And this is the reason why, at Christmas, all of us parents become pages and hand out the gifts in the name of the Three Kings. Furthermore, we must fulfill a single rule: while our children are little, we will deliver the gift-giving as if it were the Three Kings themselves, this way we keep alive the magic that made it possible for all the children in the world to receive gifts at Christmas. But when your child stops being a child and starts asking you questions, the moment comes to explain this story to them. That's why I'm telling it to you today because I believe you're no longer a child and even though it makes me very sad to see you grow up, someday you will be the page of your own children and you will have to explain this story to them. That day you will remember every word I told you and you will feel everything that I felt.

The expression on my son's face, I will never forget. I think he loved this story. He didn't ask anything else, not a single detail, he no longer needed to know more. He kept the magic and I think he made a great choice.

Balthasar's farewell letter

But this wasn't going to be everything, the story couldn't end here. So I decided to make him receive a farewell letter from Balthasar, his Wise King. Upon coming home from school one day, he found it.

The letter went like this:

Hello Unai,

>

I'm writing to you because I believe you have stopped being a child and you are becoming a little man. This year, you have realized that we cannot hand out gifts to all the children in the world, and even less now that there are millions and millions. We also realized this and that's why we turned all the parents in the world into our pages.

>

This is the GREAT TRUTH about the Three Kings and you must be able to keep this mystery until you yourself become the page of your children. This is how we manage to keep alive the wonder of all children. Now it's your turn to be part of all this and you must not reveal this mystery to your brother nor your little sister nor any other boy or girl who has not yet received this letter.

>

Dear Unai, this letter is a farewell, but first I want you to know that I have loved being your favorite king as I was of your mother and of your mother's mother. I know I am leaving you in the best hands, those of your parents who feel very proud of you and I am sure they will do everything possible so that every Christmas of your life is happy and full of the gifts you so desire.

>

You take care of them too and remember that Christmas is a time to be with family and surround yourself with those who love you so much.

>

I now say goodbye to you and hope that you never forget us.

>

Your king:

>

Balthasar

He still hasn't said anything to me, nor do I know whether he will. Maybe he'll keep the letter and hold it as a secret. I'll tell you later.

Final reflection: sharing the magic

I hope my experience is useful to you for when your moment comes. For us it has been something very special and I couldn't help sharing it with you.