If you're not from a latin decent you may not know what Three Kings Day is. My parents immigrated here from Puerto Rico in 1976, not knowing a lick of english to try to provide our family a better life. The first few years we didn't have Christmas.. Not because they were scrooge, but because they didn't understand it. In Puerto Rico they celebrated Three Kings Day, which is today. January 6th. It wasn't till I was about four before we got our first Christmas tree.. For you that never heard of Three Kings day, I found this great article on www.diversityinc.com and copied part of the article for you to enjoy:
In Puerto Rico, the Three Kings are to children what Santa Claus is in the United States--the gift bearer. But rather than bringing Nintendo Wiis and PlayStation Portables, candy and small gifts are handed out to children with the intent of reinforcing the importance of the birth of Jesus, as opposed to the commercialized idea that is often associated with Christmas in the United States.
Many Puerto Rican families in the United States have chosen to abbreviate Three Kings Day, combining the holiday with Christmas--setting up both a Christmas tree and a traditional nativity scene. Others may begin celebrating on Jan. 5, the eve of Three Kings Day, known as Víspera de Reyes in Spanish. As a part of Puerto Rican tradition, on the eve of Three Kings Day, children leave a shoebox filled with grass, sometimes accompanied by a glass of water or freshly polished shoes, under their bed or by the door to help the three kings and their camels along on their journey.
When children wake up on the morning of Three Kings Day, the grass and water will have been replaced with candy and small gifts, believed to have been consumed by the three kings and their camels. Family and friends will then gather for a feast and to sing the rosary and folk songs.
But visit Puerto Rico around this time of the year--especially San Juan--and you'll find yourself in the midst of 12 days of nonstop festivities: lively music, dancing, a feast of roasted pork, pasteles, pigeon peas, rice and coconut flan.
The festivities begin after Christmas Day at midnight with a group of carolers accompanied by guitars, maracas and congas moving from house to house, entertaining. The observers show their gratitude by rewarding them with food and drinks. Many families also host dinner parties and these festivities continue every evening until the eve of Three Kings Day, when there are parades and the singing of the rosary until dawn. On Three Kings Day, the nativity of Jesus is acted out with the Three Kings being played by real-life fathers and the baby Jesus being played by the youngest baby. The day will then conclude with a huge feast.
For Puerto Ricans and individuals of Puerto Rican descent, Three Kings Day is about preserving culture.
Now here's a funny story about a Three Kings Day I experienced. This story takes play on January 2009. Not having ever experienced a real Puerto Rico Three kings day celebrating, I decided to go to Puerto Rico (I now go every year). Being the eve of Three Kings, everywhere we went was a party. The restaurant we ate were giving away free shots of "Jibarito" which is a citrus infused rum that goes down so smooth that it only means trouble. Which is the catalyse for this story. After celebrating for hour and hours, which was easy when the people of San Juan treated us like we were guests in their home, we were hammered. We went all traditional (minus the box and hey) and bought each other presents. The surprise present was the major hang over we woke up with. Talk about your mind working in slow motion. We went to the plaza around the corner from the apartment we rented and got coffee, found a cool sandwich shop and eat breakfast. Then it was off to Luis Munoz Rivera Park, which our slow motion mind did not register the walk, yes I said walk, was about 2 miles away. Luckily the walk was right by the water. But still was a long walk. Once we get near the park we see a long line. We didn't understand why there's a line to a public park for this celebration. I asked a cop if this is the line to get in the park. He said yeah. So we stood in line in the heat, hung over, for hourssssssssss. In line we found our hang over cure, piraguas! Traditionally it's like a snow cone, but this one was like water ice.. Passion fruit all the way. After hour 3 we noticed the line was going int this building in the center of the park and I asked Meghan to ask the cop why we're standing in line for. She then said to me,"Why? So that he thinks I'm a dumb tourist and not you?" In which I responded,"Yes." She the went and ask. The officer in a thick spanish accent tells her, "This is the line for the present for the children." At that moment our slow brains noticed we were the only dumb asses in line to see the Three King without kids. Three hours later. We laughed at how dumb we were and got out of line. We then enjoyed the festivities where there were food vendors everywhere, live acts on stage, DJ's and more importantly many corporate sponsors giving away toys to kids. Lots of generosity, love, dancing and laughter. Well worth it.. Besides it give me this story to tell..
The statues is dancing, but from this angle it looks like its flippin us off...ha ha
Some of the long road we WALKED. Which is why we didn't mind.
Coconut
Anybody who has a Puerto rican friend knows we love our music. But only in Puerto Rico, the love music so apparent that even the government public works made this octagonal speaker truck with built in DJ booth in the second doors of the cab. They were 2 of these. One on each side of the park.
Dog with Pants.. really what else can I say about it.
Some of the sponsors. And the are my addiction. Cafe' con leche.
Little lizards on the way back
Statues of the Three Kings
What Christmas is really about.
Some of the best Christmas lighting I've ever seen and it's everywhere around old San Juan.
I know this one was a little long winded, But it is Three kings day and I celebrated a little last night. Not hung over but still slow... ha ha. This years present, I received a Book called
Puerto Rico: An oral history 1898-2008
by Barabara Tash Ezratty, editor
Read Sreet Publishing, Baltimore MD
Very excited about to start reading this. I'll tell ya when I''m done reading the 456 pages. But for now, I better get back to celebrating
