On the Island, la Navidad lasts around 45 days, starting right after Thanksgiving Day in November, extending through mid-January, and culminating with the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, also known as la SanSe. It's easy to find a tradition that speaks to you with endless festivals, events, … Children in Puerto Rico grow up knowing that Santa is just a fictional character, and that the ones who bring the gifts are the Los Reyes Magos, who are the biblical Magi or the Three Wisemen who brought gifts to … Puerto Ricans usually put up their Christmas trees and decorations by Thanksgiving and don’t take them down until mid-January, so the Island feels especially magical during the holiday season. Here we list just our top 5 things to do in Puerto Rico on Three Kings Day. Festivals and Traditions. Across the Atlantic ocean, the celebration of the Three Kings’ Day is very similar. Three Kings Day, also known as El Dia de los Reyes in Spanish and Epiphany in other countries, is a long held Latin American tradition. In Puerto Rico, Ortiz says that the holiday is celebrated for an additional eight days afterwards, known as Octavitas. All rights reserved. Literally, Three King’s Eve is just as exciting as Christmas Eve! In Puerto Rico, churches and groups often sponsor gift-bearing visits by the Three Kings in island towns. This past Christmas, hubby, litt He grew up celebrating three Kings Day. Sampling locally grown coffee is a perk of traveling to Puerto Rico. Instead of hosting a party, however, whoever gets the figurine of baby Jesus will be in charge of payin… Side dishes might include potato salad, pasta salad, or morcilla (rice-stuffed blood sausages). I want this holiday season to be extra special. Puerto Rican Traditions Three Kings Day is one of the most important holidays on the Puerto Rican calendar. Three Kings Day On January 6th, Puerto Rico celebrates el Día de Reyes or Epiphany, a commemoration of the visit the Three Wise Men made after Jesus was born. Feast of the Three Kings in Puerto Rico. From lace-knitting to sports and maritime history, learn about Puerto Rico from a different perspective. My family has held onto many of its holiday traditions since my grandparents migrated to New York from Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Puerto Ricans celebrate Three Kings Day every Jan. 6 with parades, parties and musical performances. In Puerto Rico, children put grass and water under their beds as gifts for the camels that will visit them during the night before Three Kings Day. He grew up celebrating three Kings Day. At no extra cost to you, I could receive a small commission if you click and buy thru my links. Kids write their wish lists to their favorite king (Melchor, Baltazar or Gaspar), and they leave out snacks for the Three … Biblical Background. As you enter the town, you'll see one of two monuments to the Three Kings, right at the intersection of Route 149 and the Luis A. Ferré Highway. In Puerto Rico, the biggest celebration of the Christmas season is focused mainly on January 6, the day of the liturgical celebration of the Three Kings. January 6, 2016 *You may find affiliate links for things I love! I have been dating him for two years as of 11/26/2014. In Puerto Rico, Christmas is merely the midpoint of the holiday season. Three kings day in Puerto Rico is January 6th of every year. © 2021 Discover Puerto Rico. Some churches even reenact the Nativity scene. The three kings will then take the grass to feed the camels and will leave gifts under the bed as a reward. Of course they enjoy Christmas and New Years but in Puerto Rico, the really big celebration is reserved for the Three Kings Festival on January 6. But by far the more significant cultural and historic attraction at Juana Díaz is the Cueva Lucero, or Lucero Caves, which are known for their size, geological formations, and above all, carvings. However, depending on your age, or the average age in your traveling group, other things might be … But make no mistake – this is not your traditional caroling. By Pollux Parker | Submitted On February 13, 2010. From Three Kings' Day parades in January to clapping when a plane touches down on the Island, traditions are kept alive by Puerto Rico's locals year after year. Usually, this period ends with Puerto Rico’s most vibrant and colorful festival: las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián or la SanSe. Almost every weekend, there is a festival or a celebration around the Island. Last year, after not celebrating, I resolved to celebrate Three Kings’ Day this year. The Bacardi family moved their company from Cuba to Puerto Rico in the 1930’s (Puerto Ricans, 2009). Representations of Gaspar, Melchor and Balthasar can be found prominently displayed in local arts and crafts, and in many of these cases, the features of the Wise Men have been modified to symbolize the three ethnicities of the Puerto Rican people: Caucasian (Spanish), Taíno (Native), and African (the slaves who were brought to the island and remained to form part of Puerto Rico's social DNA). As it is a tradition that has been celebrated in Spain for many centuries, most Spanish-speaking countries in the West also celebrate Three Kings' Day. A quaint and quiet destination, it also happens to be the proud standard-bearer for one of the most iconic symbols of Puerto Rico and the Christmas tradition in Spanish and Latin American culture: the Three Wise Men, or Los Reyes Magos. One of the town's cultural highlights is the relatively new Museo de los Santos Reyes, or Three Kings Museum. Experience the island’s vibrancy and charm while visiting some of Lin-Manuel Miranda's favorite places in Puerto Rico. Jan. 8, 2017 Updated: Jan. 8, 2017 7:16 p.m. Facebook Twitter Email. The piece of wood is in a dark brown mating board, However, the main Puerto Rican celebration is on San Juan Bautista Day on June 24. Three Kings Day commemorates the biblical journey of the three kings —Balthazar, Caspar, and … While they still prepare traditional meals, many of its ingredients are imported. Reyes Magos Puerto Rico | Three Wise Kings Digital Print 6x4in Acuaboricua $ 12.00 FREE shipping Christmas Art Three Kings Puerto Rico Ivegiftshop $ 6.00. It is a tradition for the household to offer refreshments and then join the group to bring the party to the next house. Postal customers should expare advised to expect: There will be no mail collection in Vieques, Culebra and Puerto Rico; No carrier or PO Box delivery service will be provided in Vieques, Culebra and Puerto Rico. During the holidays, families, neighbors and sometimes entire towns come together to celebrate our traditions. From Spain to Puerto Rico to American cities like Miami and New York with significant Catholic, Spanish speaking populations, Three Kings' Day is often honored. This past Christmas, hubby, litt Kids write their wish lists to their favorite king (Melchor, Baltazar or Gaspar), and they leave out snacks for the Three Kings (and grass for their camels) before they go to bed. The Three Kings: protagonists of Puerto Rico’s celebration. Many Puerto Ricans will attend a midnight mass known as Misa de Gallo, where they welcome Christmas as a commemoration of the birth of Jesus. Directly across the Three Kings monument is the elegant San Ramón Nonato Church. Aerial view of Los Morrillos Lighthouse and La Playuela in Cabo Rojo. A small homage to the Wise Men contains artwork, folklore, and photography. Transcript: ambience: traditional musicIt may be January, but in Puerto Rico, the Christmas season is still in full swing, and traditional Puerto Rican music is at the core of a religious celebration known as "Three Kings Day." Fortín Conde Mirasol in Vieques was the last fortification built by the Spaniards in the Americas. Part of the fun tradition of Three Kings Day involves what children do the night before Jan. 6 to make sure they get gifts from the Three Wise Men. Note the date, 1822, carved into the cave wall by an anonymous traveler, one of the numerous carvings, writings and petroglyphs on the walls here, some of them quite ancient (sadly, many of these are mixed with more modern, and far less beautiful, graffiti. Feliz Dí­a de los Tres Reyes Magos! Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz still remembers the excitement of being a child in Puerto Rico, anticipating the arrival of the Three Kings on Jan. 6th. It celebrates the gospel account relating to the visit of the three magi – or in this case kings – to the baby Jesus. I want this holiday season to be extra special. If you like pork, Puerto Rico for Christmas is the trip for you. ~Coppelia . On January 6th, Puerto Rico celebrates el Día de Reyes or Epiphany, a commemoration of the visit the Three Wise Men made after Jesus was born. Puerto Ricans, however, celebrate this season a little differently. The night before (la vispera de reyes), children collect grass in a basket and put it under their beds.The grass is for the camels of the three kings. All rights reserved. For most people in Puerto Rico, preparations for Three Kings Day begin as soon as Christmas ends. The History Behind Three Kings Day in Puerto Rico. But this year, the holiday has a special meaning on … Discover the stories behind the walls of Old San Juan. In the 19th century, the town held a parade featuring the Three Kings and shepherds, followed by a Mass. I have been dating him for two years as of 11/26/2014. Like in America, Puerto Rico's primary winter holiday is centered around the birth of Christ. The eight days after Three Kings Day are known in Puerto Rico as las octavitas, an extension of Christmas were people keep throwing parties and going on parrandas. January 6th is Three Kings Day in Mexico, known in Spanish as el Día de los Reyes Magos or El Día de Reyes.This is Epiphany on the church calendar, the 12th day after Christmas (sometimes referred to as Twelfth Night), when Christians commemorate the arrival of the Magi or "Wise Men" who arrived bearing gifts for the Christ Child. Happy Three King’s Day! It is traditional for children to fill a box with fresh grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the Wise Men's camels. In the past, their travels have taken them far beyond the borders of Puerto Rico, and even to the Vatican, where they were blessed by the pope. Unlike much of the United States, many Puerto Rican families do not exchange gifts on Christmas Day, but rather wait until Three Kings Day. The last time we were in Puerto Rico during the holidays was when little one was 6 months old. The classic holiday menu consists of arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), lechón asado (spit-roasted pork), and pasteles (tamale-like patties of green banana and meat). The Kings themselves are carefully chosen and have to embody their chosen roles, right down to their costume and dialogue. The festival, celebrated since 1884, honors the Three Kings who brought gifts of incense, gold and myrrh to the Baby Jesus. This music-filled cultural jubilee marks the official end of the holiday season. 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