It is 40 days after Jesus was born, and when he would have been presented at the temple to be blessed. It is also known as the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus and the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whoever gets the piece of cake with baby Jesus is the “godparent” responsible for hosting the Día de la Candelaria party.įebruary 2 is Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas Day). The cake has a plastic baby Jesus hidden inside. ![]() In the morning hay is “eaten” and the shoes are filled with gifts from the Three Kings.įamilies celebrate Reyes Magos by eating Rosca de Reyes (Kings Cake) which is a wreath shaped sweet bread, decorated with dried and candied fruit, symbolizing a jeweled crown. Then that night children place their shoes outside their rooms, with some hay for the camels. On January 5, the night before, there are often celebrations in town squares where men are dressed up as Los Reyes and pose for photos with children. Sometimes the letters are attached to balloons filled with helium so their wishes can fly up into the sky. Children write letters to the Magi: Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar, asking for the presents they would like to receive. Reyes Magos is the traditional day gifts are exchanged in Mexico and most Hispanic cultures around the world. It celebrates the day the Three Wise Men (Magi) gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. January 6 is El Día de Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) also known as the Epiphany, or the Twelfth Night. Celebrations continue into January and February. Lentils for good fortune in the next yearĬakes that are ring shaped, or other round sweets to represent the full circle of life and bring luck back around to the eater.Īnd remember, Christmas celebrations don’t end on New Year’s Day in Mexico. Noodles, extra-long noodles are thought to bring long life if you eat them without breaking, so slurp away ![]() Grapes for good luck (12 grapes for each month of the year) Pomegranates for Fertility, Life, and Abundance Other good luck foods from around the world to eat for the New Year… Our family usually enjoys black eyed peas, collard greens, and corn bread for good luck and prosperity. They may be taking him to one of the specialty shops that do brisk business this time of year repairing, fixing up and dressing baby Jesuses.Feliz Año Nuevo everyone! Hoping everyone has recovered from their New Year’s Eve festivities. First, on Christmas Eve, the Niño Dios is placed in the Nativity scene, on January 6th, King’s Day, the child is brought presents from the Magi, and on February 2nd, the child is dressed in fine clothes and presented in the church.Īround this time of year, while walking the streets of Mexican cities, you may come across people holding what appears to be a baby reclining in their arms, but upon closer look, you’ll see that it is actually a figure of the Christ Child that they are embracing. At times, a godparent is chosen for the Niño Dios, who is then responsible for hosting various celebrations between Christmas and Candlemas. Little baby Jesus in hammock, Mérida, Yucatán Niño Dios:Īnother important custom in Mexico, particularly in areas where traditions run strong, is for families to own an image of the Christ Child, which is called a Niño Dios. ![]() The person (or people) who received the figurines on Three Kings Day are supposed to host the party on Candlemas Day. In Mexico Día de la Candelaria is a follow-up to the festivities of Three Kings Day on January 6th, when children receive gifts and families and friends gather together to eat Rosca de Reyes, a special sweet bread with figurines of a baby (representing the Child Jesus) hidden inside. This tradition was based on the biblical passage of Luke 2:22-39 that says that when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple, a particularly devout man named Simeon embraced the child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon: “Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” The reference to the light inspired the celebration of the blessing of the candles. It is known as Candlemas in English, because from around the 11th Century in Europe there was a tradition of bringing candles to the church to be blessed as part of the celebration. In Mexico, this holiday is celebrated as Día de la Candelaria.
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