Mexicans of the Catholic faith really know how to celebrate the Christmas season! They celebrate from December 25th through February 2nd. On January 6th, they commemorate El Día De Reyes, the Epiphany; this is the day when three of the Kings: Melchor, Caspar, and Balthazar, representing Europe, Arabia, and Africa, arrived on horse, camel and elephant, bringing respectively gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.
For the past two years, The Next Door’s Nuestra Comunidad Sana, has been distributing gifts to local Latino families on this day. This year over 90 people came to celebrate. A local bakery, Mercado Guadalajara, donated Rosca de Reyes for the event, an oval sweetbread, decorated with candied fruit. Traditionally, 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. 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. Whomever gets the baby figurine shall be the host, and invite everyone present to a new celebration on February 2, Candelaria or Candle mass day. NCS’ Rosca did not have a hidden toy, but it sure was delicious!
Mexican Catholics celebrate El Dia de los Reyes every January 6th
