Celebrating Dia de Reyes
Tomorrow, on January 6, 2011, my family and I will participate in a Mexican celebration called Dia de Reyes. I have often heard of January 6 called Old Christmas, but I never knew the story behind it until now. This day is like their Christmas and the gifts are only for the kids. Below is a snippet of the information from this website I found about this holiday.
“After New Year’s Day, Mexican families still have a very special date to commemorate and enjoy. On January 6, most of the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany, remembering the day when the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus.
The Merienda de Reyes is truly a multicultural event. The Spaniards brought the tradition of celebrating the Epiphany and sharing the Rosca to the New World. The Rosca is served along with Tamales, made of corn which was the pre-Hispanic food per excel lance, and hot chocolate. Chocolate is also a gift from the native peoples of the New World. Hidden inside this delicious Rosca is a plastic figurine of the Baby Jesus. The Baby is hidden because it 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. The knife symbolizes the danger in which the Baby Jesus was in. One by one the guests carefully inspect their slice, hopping they didn’t get the figurine. Whoever gets the baby figurine shall be the host, and invite everyone present to a new celebration on February 2, Candelaria or Candle mass day, and he also shall get a new Ropón or dress for the Baby Jesus of the Nativity scene.
The Mexican Christmas season is joyously extended up to February 2. When the nativity scene is put away, and another family dinner of delicious tamales and hot chocolate is served with great love and happiness.”
You all know this is right up my alley; good food, fun, friends and family are what I love! From what I have been told, there will be about 5 toys hidden in the cake. The people who find the toys in their cake are the ones chosen to bring food for the celebration on February 2nd. So not only do I get to eat on January the 6th, but I get to do it again on February 2nd! Man you can’t get any better than that!
I also like the fact that I’m exposing my kids to another culture in a fun way. Hopefully they will also have a better understanding about the significance of what January 6 means in a biblical sense. I will definitely tell you all how it goes. Hot chocolate and tamales here we come!
[...] Celebrating Dia de Reyes [...]