Three Kings' Day Celebrated Around The Country, From <em>El Barrio</em> To Disneyland
The Wisest Day Of All, Even In Disneyland
¡FelízDíade Reyes!
Christmas is over, bank accounts are in recovery, New Year's resolutions were made and probably already forgotten. While for most people, the start of a new year is a time to contemplate the year ahead or to shake off the holiday blues, for most Hispanics it's still part of the Christmas holiday festivities, as on January 6th, Latinos celebrate Día de Reyes, or Three Kings' Day.
The colorful and lively celebration is also known as Epiphany and marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas. Epiphany "is a Christian celebration of the revelation of the birth of Jesus Christ to the world. This is embodied most in the story of three wise men visiting a newborn Jesus with gifts." The festivities commemorate the visit of The Three Kings, or The Three Wise Men -- Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar -- who are said to have arrived with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the newborn child.
Advertisement
Over two thousand years later, from New York to Chicago to Southern California, the widely popular tradition is celebrated in cities and communities across the U.S.
This year, even Disneyland is getting into the act, with a weekend-long celebration. The park's official blog states that "Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will appear in their Fiesta costumes and other characters will join them, including the Three Caballeros: Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito!" Special food carts will also appear in Disney's Zocalo Park. On the menu? Sweet corn tamales, strawberry filled churros and the traditional Rosca de Reyes, or kings' pastry, a crown-shaped cake usually decorated with fruits like dried figs or even orange peels along its crust.
In Chicago, dozens of Latino employees work day and night in a local bakery to prepare Rosca de Reyes, Mexican style.
"We don't use big machines. We do everything by hand and without the help of machines," said Jesús Salagado, supervisor of the bakery 'Happy Cake La Baguette de Chicago' in an interview with Spanish news agency EFE.
Advertisement
When the owner of the bakery, Gilberto Chavarría, came to the U.S. from Mexico 23 years ago, "he baked a good number of roscas and then gave them away to Mexicans in the area," said Rafael de la Vega, another supervisor at the bakery. This year, they will bake and distribute around 6,000 of the special pastries.
Mexicans do love their roscas.
This past Wednesday in Mexico City, thousands gathered to enjoy a gigantic one of over 740 meters in length and over 10 tons in weight. Two thousand bakers participated in preparing this tasty treat, using 2,323 pounds of fruit, over 5,720 pounds of sugar and 1,320 pounds of marmalade, reported NTD Television.
According to custom, a small figure of baby Jesus is baked into each rosca, to represent the fact that he had to be hidden and protected at birth.
The festivities also include something for the kids. Much like on Christmas Day, children receive three presents, one from each of the wise men, in remembrance of the gifts they brought baby Jesus. And again, similar to how kids leave milk and cookies for Santa Claus, Latino kids will leave green grass for the kings' camels.
Advertisement
In New York, the celebrations are heard across the city, particularly around the annual Three Kings' Day Parade in East Harlem. The procession, hosted by El Museo Del Barrio, lures in thousands of people each year.
"It's something that every New Yorker -- every Latino New Yorker, and a lot of New Yorkers in general -- wait to see, because it's so colorful and brings a little bit of joy to the dark and cold days of January," said Gonzalo Casals, director of education and public programs at El Museo del Barrio in an interview with WNYC.
"For us, the holidays haven't finished yet," Casals said , "The big celebration for Latinos is Three Kings' Day."
SEE HOW THREE KINGS' DAY IS CELEBRATED AROUND THE WORLD:
Three Kings Day
WATCH RELATED:
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.