What do Puerto Ricans do to celebrate Three Kings Day?
On the eve of Three Kings Day (known as Vispera de Reyes) children leave out candy and small gifts for the kings, and a box of straw for their camels. In exchange, the children are given gifts by the Three Kings that evening.
What is the story behind Three Kings Day?
Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes), also known as the Epiphany, is a Christian celebration that commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. This marks the official 12th day of Christmas.
What do the three kings represent in Puerto Rico?
In Puerto Rico, Christmas is merely the midpoint of the holiday season. Three Kings Day commemorates the biblical journey of the three kings—Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior—who followed a star that appeared in the sky on Christmas Day all the way to Bethlehem, where they discovered and offered gifts to baby Jesus.
How do they celebrate los Reyes Magos in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Ricans celebrate Three Kings Day on January 6, when families get together and children receive gifts from Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Many santeros, who carve wooden images of saints, create sculptures of the kings, even though they are not technically viewed as saints.
What Hispanic countries celebrate 3 Kings Day?
Let’s cover some of the different traditions in the countries where the Three Kings’ Day is celebrated:
- Mexico. The Aztec country celebrates this day by adding figurines of the Three Wise Men to the nativity on January 5.
- Argentina, Paraguay & Uruguay.
- Peru.
- Puerto Rico.
- Spain.
What are the national holidays of Puerto Rico?
Traditional American holidays of President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving are observed in Puerto Rico. In addition to American holidays, Puerto Ricans also celebrate the traditional Catholic holiday of the Epiphany , or Three Kings Day.
What are the Three Kings Day traditions?
The most iconic tradition associated with Three Kings Day is the customary eating of a Rosca de Reyes (King’s Ring), a sweet bread shaped like a wreath, with candied fruit on top, and a figurine of a baby Jesus baked inside. The person who finds the figurine is expected to host a party on Día de la…
Is Three Kings Day a holiday?
Epiphany is on Thursday, January 6, 2022.
Does the Dominican Republic celebrate Three Kings Day?
To begin with, Three Kings Day is an official public holiday in the Dominican Republic. Though the tradition to celebrate this day is common for other countries too, normally it isn’t a national day-off.