Tomorrow, January 6th is Three Kings Day in Mexico, known as the Día de Reyes. This is Epiphany on the church calendar, the 12th day after Christmas, when the Magi arrived bearing gifts for baby Jesus. In Mexico children receive gifts on this day, brought by the three kings, los Reyes Magos, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar. Oh? You didn´t know the kings had NAMES? Of course! Some children receive gifts from both Santa Claus and the Kings, but Santa is seen as an imported custom, and the traditional day for Mexican children to receive gifts is January 6.
(Just an interesting side note: I have a friend who was born on the Day of the Kings. His parents named him Gaspar - and his two last names are Reyes Santos! I think I'd shoot my parents if they did that to me! But this friend, Gaspar Reyes Santos is nicer than I am! And still loves his parents!)
In the days preceding Kings Day children write letters to the Magi requesting a toy or gift that they would like. On the night of January 5th, the figures of the Wise Men are placed in the nativity scene. Traditionally children would leave out their shoes with a bit of hay in them to feed the animals of the Magi (they are often shown with a camel). When the children would wake up in the morning their gifts appeared in place of the hay. Nowadays, like Santa Claus, the Kings tend to place their gifts under the Christmas tree. Also, here in San Juan del Río, children - and their families - visit the central park, buy a balloon, tie their request to the Three Kings to it, and let it go, up, up, up and away. We were going to go to the park, but the kiddos (Dayton and our guest Neriah) decided to watch a video instead. I can hear them downstairs laughing their way through Despicable Me! I laughed my way through it with the family a few nights ago!
On Kings Day it is customary to eat Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread shaped like a wreath, with candied fruit on top, and a figurine of a baby Jesus baked inside (and yes, I bought one this morning!). Nowadays if the rosca is quite large, there are several babies hidden in the rosca. The person or persons who find the figurines are expected to host a party on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2nd, when tamales are eaten. So far at our house, Neriah and Dayton are responsible for the tamales on February 2nd!
The ladies of our prayer group at church are eating the rosca next Monday - when I´ll be in El Paso with Ken and Esme. They said they´d cut a piece for me and see if I had to make the tamales for February 2nd! ("Make" nothin'! I don't MAKE tamales - I buy them!)
Just today I learned some interesting facts about the Rosca de Reyes:
It is a crown, the crown of Christ.
The fruits on top are the precious stones on the crown.
The sugar on top are also precious stones.
The baby inside is the Christ child that Mary folded into her shawl so that Herod would not find Him.
When the bakers make the bread and put the little dolls (Baby Jesus) into the bread, they are supposed to carefully fold him in to protect him.
And if you believe all that. . . .!!!
I personally like the Biblical story better when the angel comes to JOSEPH (not Mary!!) and JOSEPH is in charge of protecting that little one!
No comments:
Post a Comment