A Day To Remember: {Celebrating} Dia De Los Reyes

Thursday, January 6, 2011

{Celebrating} Dia De Los Reyes

When you hear the term "12 Days of Christmas", many people automatically think of the 12 days preceding Christmas. Well, the true 12 Days of Christmas are celebrated right after December 25th, known as Epiphany in the church calendar. On the 12th day of Christmas, the Three Kings, following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Baby Jesus.

Traditionally, in Mexico, children receive gifts on this day, brought by the Three kings, "Los Reyes Magos", Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar. 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 6th.

Arrival of the 3 Kings:

A traditional Nativity Scene. {Stock Photo}

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 near the nativity scene, or right outside their home, with a bit of hay in the shoes, 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.

Rosca de Reyes:

A traditional "Rosca de Reyes" served with some Mexican hot chocolate {Stock Photo}

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. The Baby hidden inside symbolizes the need to find a secure place where Jesus could be born, a place where King Herod would not find Him. Each person cuts a slice of the "rosca" and inspects to see if his/her slice contains the Baby Jesus. Cutting with the knife symbolized the danger in which the Baby Jesus was in. Whoever finds the figurine shall host, and invite everyone present to a new celebration on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2nd. The new host is also responsible for providing a new Ropón, "small dress robe", for the Baby Jesus of the Nativity scene. After the celebrated mass and blessing of the Baby Jesus, guests are invited to the host's home to enjoy some delicious tamales and hot chocolate or atole.