Three Kings Day

( Tonito Zayas/El Nuevo Día)

Three Kings Day ("El Día de Reyes"), which is celebrated on January 6th, is a significant cultural and religious holiday in Puerto Rico, as well as in many other Roman Catholic countries. It marks the day in which baby Jesus was visited by the three wise men, who came bearing with gifts and adoration. It also marks the end of the Christmas season. When my brother and I were kids, we loved the Kings as much as we loved Santa, because we received presents on both days.

In Puerto Rico, el día de Reyes is indeed celebrated with many festivities. It has been a long-standing tradition for the governor to pass out toys for the children who waited patiently in line at his official residence, La Fortaleza. In some of the smaller towns, there were parades and other special activities commemorating this special day. Compared to the U.S, Puerto Rico starts the year off in a much slower and relaxed manner. Besides restaurants, pharmacies, theaters and gasoline stations, everything was closed yesterday.