The Origins of Christmas Legends and Traditions We Didn’t Know

The traditional tale of three Eastern Kings, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, visiting the infant Jesus is more myth than historical or scriptural fact. In the Bible, these figures are described as ‘magi’ or wise men, not kings, and their names, origins, and ethnicities are not specified.

Contrary to popular belief, the Gospels mention that they visited Jesus as a young child in his home, not as a newborn in a manger. The names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar only entered the Christmas narrative much later, first appearing in a 6th-century Italian mosaic, long after the original Gospel accounts were written.