When you read this, it will be January 6... Three Kings Day. In some (especially Latin American countries) 3 Kings day is really when we, in the USA, celebrate Christmas... gifts etc. I think our first experience with 3 kings day was in 2003.... our first time in Mexico. That was when we learned the tradition of the Three Kings Cake...
We took the bus to Walmart today (Tuesday)... and this is the display as we're walking into the store.
For those not familiar with this holiday... the 3 kings followed the star... they didn't arrive at the manger on Christmas Eve... but arrived 12 days later. (Hey... Mary's insurance would NEVER have paid for 12 days recovering from childbirth these days!)....
Anyway... now we celebrate the day with a cake...
And... there's a Baby Jesus embedded somewhere in the cake. (more of that later)
Here, it looks like the bakery has put Baby Jesus in a plastic baggy and the buyer of the cake can insert it in wherever they want. First off... that sure doesn't look like a Baby Jesus to me... looks more like a wooden toy a kid would play with... But... that's me... let's move on...
Now... I'm reading that because of liability factors, bakeries aren't baking the little plastic figure in the cakes anymore... nope! sued too many times by parents whose kids choked on the little thing... what can I say?
Anyway... the point is... whoever gets the Baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the recipient of good luck and prosperity in the new year. But... there's a price to pay...
Yep... they are also responsible for treating everyone on Candlemas Day (February 2nd). (We've also heard that whoever gets the Baby Jesus has to provide the tamales on Candlemas Day)
The proper name for all this is "Roscas de Reyes", which literally translates as "Threads of the Kings".... but whatever....
I bought all the ingredients to make tamales (corn husks, chiles, masa.....) and by Candlemas Day (Feb 2) I might have it all figured out. Doesn't matter that I didn't buy the cake.... Bill's birthday is Feb 3, so we'll celebrate one way or another.
I'll readily admit... Bill & I are very happy that Three Kings Day has arrived.... kids will soon be back in school... holidays will be over... peace and quiet will descend on our lovely bungalows again.
So... whether you celebrate this holiday or not, trust me.... we're happy to see it arrive.
That's All For Today!
Michael and I spent one holiday season in Mexico--we were most definitely ready for all that noise to be over!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification of the holidays.
ReplyDeletepeace and quiet will be nice.
Interesting facts that I didn't know. Thanks for sharing, I learned something new today.
ReplyDeleteKind of like the cakes during Mardi Gras.
ReplyDeleteThey're selling Three Kings cakes at the Walmart here too, since we have a very high Mexican population in Albany. My friend and I were looking at them yesterday. $10! Seemed high. Happy here too the holidays are over with, most parents are too, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteOh, no, I forgot to pick up a roscon de reyes for myself today!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the older Mexicans think of the Walmart version of the cake, compared to what they remember from their childhood? Probably some of the authenticity is lost :)
ReplyDelete