For me, growing up in a multicultural household had so many perks as a child. Holiday time was eventful for my sister and me. We were able to celebrate so many different traditions, which I am beyond grateful for. As I got older, I realized that I had more control over what I could continue celebrating and what special memories stayed with me the most.
When the holiday season came around, I was beyond excited because I knew what it meant for me. Somehow, amidst the chaos and noise, little sparkles of happiness imprinted my soul for years to come. The magic didn’t stop at Christmas, where, yes, my mom, sister, and I opened the presents on Christmas morning. My sister and I had another gift-giving holiday to look forward to. And it took place just a little bit after the new year had come.
Día de Reyes, otherwise known as Three Kings Day, tied our holiday season up into a beautiful bow.
It was celebrated on January 6th with my mom’s side of the family. My Puerto Rican grandmother would make the most delicious homemade hot chocolate, a sweet treat in the form of bread or cake, and would make sure that bomba played through the radio speakers. Here came my grandpa with his guitar and my beautiful mom with some presents. My sister and I had just one more chance at memories and magic.
Three Kings Day can be marked as the official end of the Christmas season. As a young girl, I was told that three wise men gave special gifts for the birth of baby Jesus. My grandma told me that in Puerto Rico, she would fill whatever boxes they had with some hay and grass for the kings’ camels on January 5th, so that on the morning of the 6th, children could be left with small gifts. My grandma also told me that where she grew up, families and friends would come together for parrandas to sing and dance.
To be truthful, the smell of my grandmother’s house is what stayed with me the most.
My grandmother would roast pork, make some arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and sometimes, make delicious rice or coconut pudding.
Celebrating Three Kings Day gave me immense joy, but celebrating these traditions as a mom gives me so much purpose. My son’s middle name is “Von” which means “king.” It’s a reminder that the same magic I felt as a child is currently living through him. The holiday has a whole new meaning now, and I get to create a safer and softer kind of magic for my son.
