Wednesday, December 29, 2010

El Dia De Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) In Puerto Rico

Three Kings Day In Puerto Rico
                                                                                     
El Dia De Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) is a Holiday in Puerto Rico.  El Dia De Los Reyes is on January 6, and celebrates the day when a group of Kings arrived to worship and bring three gifts to baby Jesus, after following a star in the sky.  The three Kings: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar, arrived on camels, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.


There are many celebrations in Puerto Rico on this holiday.  The Three Kings Day is equally as important as Christmas Day.  Children receive presents on both days: Christmas and El Dia De Los                       
Reyes.  In Puerto Rico on the Eve of Three Kings Day,
it is a tradition for the children to take a shoe box,
fill it with grass, put water in a glass, and place it
under the bed.  The three Kings will drink the
water, and then take the grass to feed the camels.
In return, The three Kings will leave gifts under the
bed.


Puerto Ricans spend this holiday with family and
friends, and is customary to take a day trip to enjoy
the countryside.  In San Juan there are many
celebrations with food, live music, and dancing.
Also, every year the Governor of Puerto Rico
opens his residence, the governor's mansion
called La Fortaleza, to the public, as part
of the El Dia De Los Reyes festivities.


If you are in Puerto Rico during El Dia De Los Reyes,
make sure to join in the celebration. 


Take a look at this video with the traditional music of the holidays.  The song is about a little child riding on his donkey, on his way to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus.





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