![]() All kinds of percussion instruments are heard, dictating a conga the movements everybody should follow, growing the trulla (same as parranda) that goes from house to house until late hours in the evening. Gathering their musical instruments, they walk to a neighbor’s house, assaulting him with traditional songs. When the B oricuas (a name for Puertorricans) finish putting the Christmas decorations, they travel around with a parranda (the Puerto Rican traditional carols). While the upbeat melody leads their swirling bodies-they move their arms and legs with the rhythm of the twinkling lights. As they envelop the branches with garlands of lights, they welcome La Navidad Boricua (Puerto Rican Christmas) with the musical notes of salsa. While Americans love embellishing their trees with beautiful ornaments collected over the years, drinking eggnog, and singing traditional Christmas carols, Puerto Ricans are always looking for an excuse to throw a party, gathering some friends together to decorate the tree. The brisk breeze and shorter days of autumn delight Americans weeks before Christmas day while hundreds of pine trees are collected to go on sale. The person who find the figurine in their slice gets crowned king or queen of the day.As the cold air rhythmically travels with the falling leaves whose dyed petals are descending into a carpet of colored foliage, a distant wave of snow is tenderly sprinkling the woodlands of the United States. The fruit represents the jewels from the Reyes Magos, and inside are two hidden objects: a faba bean, and figurine (in some parts, it’s a king, or Magi, in others it’s a different figure). In some parts of the world (including Spain and Mexico), families eat a ring-shaped cake with candied fruit on top, and sometimes cream in the middle. Sometimes they also find that the food has been nibbled at, or even disappeared! When kids wake up in the morning, they find presents (sometimes wrapped, sometimes candy or money) where they left their shoes. During the night, the Magi will travel the world and leave gifts. Many families leave food for the Magi, as well as straw and water for the camels, or a box of greens. In many places, children write letters to the Tres Reyes Magos in anticipation of Epiphany. The night of January 5th, they leave their shoes by the fireplace, doors, or windows. ![]() January 5th is a day of parades, in which the Three Kings are reenacted as the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos, throwing sweets to people watching in the streets. Many families in the Spanish-speaking world leave their Christmas tree up until Epiphany, and have the tradition of children receiving gifts that day. Many Christians celebrate Los Reyes Magos on Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, which falls on January 6th. Since then, Western Church tradition has recorded them as Balthasar (king of Arabia), Melchior (king of Persia), and Gaspar (king of India). Catholic traditions such as those in Spain use these names, though Syrian and Eastern churches record other names. According to the gospel of Matthew, several Magi from the East made the journey to bring the newborn king three royal gifts– gold, frankincense, and myrrh– following a strange star that had appeared in the sky. The story of three kings visiting the Christ child stretches back 2,000 years. Where is this tradition from, and what does it involve? They’ll leave their shoes out, along with straw and water, and wake up the next morning expecting a gift. and other countries are busy writing to Santa, other children are addressing their letters to Los Reyes Magos: the three wisemen who visited baby Jesus. Inside: Printable Carta a Los Reyes Magos, and resources for teaching about Los Tres Reyes.
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