You cut the Rosca de Reyes on January 6, usually during a family or friends gathering for Día de Reyes (Three Kings Day), and that is when everyone takes a slice.

Quick Scoop

  • The rosca is traditionally sliced and shared on January 6, the day that commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus.
  • Families and friends gather that day (often in the afternoon or evening) and each person cuts a piece to see who gets the hidden baby figurine.
  • Whoever finds the baby is expected to host or bring tamales (and sometimes atole) on February 2, Día de la Candelaria.

In some households, if January 6 falls on a workday, people may choose the closest evening or weekend to cut the rosca together, but the “official” tradition is January 6.

TL;DR: You cut the rosca on January 6, during your Día de Reyes get‑together, and whoever gets the baby pays it back with tamales on February 2.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.