39. ADS THAT CELEBRATED THE FEAST OF THE THREE KINGS!

KATIALIS "Gifts of the Three Kings" Ad, showing the 3 magis presenting Katialis bottles
 as gifts to scab-ridden Filipinos. c. Jan.1936

Time was when the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings was a fixed date—January 6—which also marked the end of the Christmas season. With the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the date has become variable, celebrated on the first Sunday of January.

DEL MONTE PINEAPPLE JUICE, "Little King", a more whimsical depiction of your little king.
 c. Jan. 1965

In the Philippines, the 3 Kings were looked at as gift-givers, the way Americans looked at Santa Claus. This began in the Spanish times when the “Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos” was celebrated in Filipino homes with feasting, merry-making and gift-giving. Children would leave their buffed shoes all in arrow outside their rooms to find them stuffed with gifts the next morning—courtesy of the 3 Kings!

REPUBLIC BANK, "Forty One Kings", Get the royal service
of not just 3 Kings but 41! Bank branches, that is.
 c. Jan.1965

These ads of yesteryears celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings--when the day held more significance to Filipinos. After all, it extended the Christmas season for another week, thus prolonging the feasting and merrymaking--not to mention school vacations.

THREE KINGS WHISKEY BRAND
from La Tondena, Inc. c. 1940

The ads range from the wild (Katialis) to the whimsical (Del Monte), but the highest tribute has got to be La Tondeña's whiskey brand fittingly named "Three Kings", perhaps to capture the intoxicating joy that the holidays bring!