The question that serves as degree scroll to this article is typical of the boy or girl who begins to doubt about the existence of the Three Wise Men and needs to dispel that doubt as soon as possible; he goes to his father or mother to be assured that there are these wonderful beings that excite him and make him so happy, and not only because of the gifts. He does not suspect that his question is very difficult for his parents.

There are drawbacks to any answer given. The "yes" would be to lie, and, in addition, to expose yourself to the fact that the next day an older boy will tell you all about it. The "no" would be to disillusion him all at once and, in addition, to disappoint him, for having deceived him for a long time. A third possibility is to tell him that "the Three Wise Men do not exist (now), but they did exist, and they continue to send us their gifts by means of pages or messengers, to whom this order arrives by tradition.

This explanation is plausible, but with a particularly clever child it may not be enough; he or she is able to cross-examine, "Did they exist as characters in a legend or a story, or as real beings? This requires the parents to do some research.

Benedict XVI, in his book The Childhood of Jesus, considers the Gospel account of the Magi to be historical and not just a catechetical account of the first Christian community. The men of whom the Evangelist Matthew speaks were not only astronomers: "They were wise men; they represented the dynamism inherent in religions to go beyond themselves; a dynamism that is a search for truth, a search for the true God, and therefore, Philosophy in the original sense of the word".
He adds that the tradition of the Church has read the story of the Magi in the light of Psalms 72:10 and Isaiah 60. "And in this way, the wise men of the East became kings, and with them camels and dromedaries entered the grotto (in the Nativity scenes)".

Returning to what subject answer to give to the child who asks if the Three Wise Men exist, I will stick with the third of the proposals above: they did exist, and they continue to send us their gifts using tradition.

It is bad to lie to children, even with good intentions. If we tell them that they do not exist, they may feel momentarily disappointed, but the disappointment before the lie would be much greater and can last a lifetime. We must always tell them the truth, but knowing that there are good and bad ways to do it; never abruptly and coldly, but little by little, with delicacy and affection.

An example: when Jesus was born, some characters called Kings or Magi from the East came to visit him, to adore him and bring him gifts. Although they are no longer on earth, they continue to influence children because of their innocence and their resemblance to the Child Jesus. As the Wise Men cannot reach all the children of the world, to send their gifts they make use of the financial aid of new messengers who are the parents of the children. We parents are delighted that our children have gifts, as Jesus did, as long as they behave well.

The widespread belief in the Three Wise Men is influenced by the fact that children are attracted to mystery and live in a world of dreams and fantasy. But this belief is not exclusive to children; it is also held by some adults.

"I believe in the Three Kings (...) The night of the Three Kings and the rest of the Christmas festivities are a mechanism of social adaptation. Preserving rituals such as the letter with the wish list, the parade, the roscón, the Nativity scene and the tree with its ornaments, is socially useful, even if faith in their meaning has been lost. These shared rituals are the mass with which memories are built. And memories of common experiences are the glue that binds families together". (A. González-Sinde).

It is advisable to guide children in their letter to the Three Wise Men. The following is advisable: read the parents' letter; ask for a few things without being influenced by advertising; the toys requested should be varied, to increase the possibilities of play; if they ask for video games, we must establish the conditions of use of the screens (time limit and spaces where they can be used); when talking about their behavior in the last year, children should recognize that they did not do everything well and add resolutions for improvement; always ask for a book.

Universal stories such as the Three Wise Men develop children's curiosity and imagination and transmit moral and social values in a beautiful and attractive way. Happy Three Kings!