The Three Kings
My first memory of the three kings was in New York City. We didn't celebrate it, even though we were from Puerto Rico, we just did Christmas. I was in my dad's arms and he was showing me an image of the kings on the wall. Maybe it was a Christmas card... I honestly can't remember. I remember asking him about them and him telling me they represented the three wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus. He told me how in Puerto Rico, where he grew up, little kids left out grass for the camels and the kings would leave them gifts by their bed. I asked if this was at Christmas and he said no. Three Kings Day happens after the New Year. I was around Sofia's age and I remember thinking "Puerto Rican kids are the luckiest kids in the world! They get two Christmases!"
When we moved to Puerto Rico I was 7 years old and I too got two Christmases. The year I moved to Puerto Rico I learned a lot about my culture that showed me I was one of the luckiest kids in the world indeed. This is just a small representation of that in terms that a child can understand. The tradition is near and dear to my heart. I will never forget that moment with my daddy in our little apartment in the South Bronx, and how it opened a window of something magical from my roots that was not a part of our world in the states.
Last night I was trolling facebook on my phone as I waited for my kids to be asleep and saw how many of my friends from back home are keeping this tradition alive for their kids no matter where they live. This morning the kings came to Puerto Rico and other Latin countries, but they also came to Georgia, and Florida, and New York, Maryland, and Texas... American culture permeates my island nation in a way that is hard to explain. But mornings like this I smile as I think our diaspora spreading our culture where ever we are.
My girls have been up for almost two hours and they have not had breakfast. They are playing with their Barbies and Ken dolls, and their LOL pets, and just enjoying their second Christmas... the luckiest children in the world. I am enjoying their innocence, for I know it won't last forever. They each got a Ken and Barbie set and when they opened the boxes they said they had a mommy a daddy a brother and a sister. No boyfriends yet!
Funny story: My in-laws are American and they took down the tree and the decorations shortly after new years day. My five year old asked where was the tree and all the decorations and was told they were put up. "Why?!" Savannah asked. "Christmas is over" Granddaddy said. "But what about the three kings?!" she asked alarmed.
Big sister Sofia said in her 6 going on 16 tone "Savannah! They're not Puerto Rican!" We all had a good laugh.
Raising kids away from your family and culture is hard to do. Teaching them to appreciate the language, the culture and history is an uphill battle. This is the easy part. This, and the beach.
When we moved to Puerto Rico I was 7 years old and I too got two Christmases. The year I moved to Puerto Rico I learned a lot about my culture that showed me I was one of the luckiest kids in the world indeed. This is just a small representation of that in terms that a child can understand. The tradition is near and dear to my heart. I will never forget that moment with my daddy in our little apartment in the South Bronx, and how it opened a window of something magical from my roots that was not a part of our world in the states.Last night I was trolling facebook on my phone as I waited for my kids to be asleep and saw how many of my friends from back home are keeping this tradition alive for their kids no matter where they live. This morning the kings came to Puerto Rico and other Latin countries, but they also came to Georgia, and Florida, and New York, Maryland, and Texas... American culture permeates my island nation in a way that is hard to explain. But mornings like this I smile as I think our diaspora spreading our culture where ever we are.
My girls have been up for almost two hours and they have not had breakfast. They are playing with their Barbies and Ken dolls, and their LOL pets, and just enjoying their second Christmas... the luckiest children in the world. I am enjoying their innocence, for I know it won't last forever. They each got a Ken and Barbie set and when they opened the boxes they said they had a mommy a daddy a brother and a sister. No boyfriends yet!
Funny story: My in-laws are American and they took down the tree and the decorations shortly after new years day. My five year old asked where was the tree and all the decorations and was told they were put up. "Why?!" Savannah asked. "Christmas is over" Granddaddy said. "But what about the three kings?!" she asked alarmed.
Big sister Sofia said in her 6 going on 16 tone "Savannah! They're not Puerto Rican!" We all had a good laugh.
Raising kids away from your family and culture is hard to do. Teaching them to appreciate the language, the culture and history is an uphill battle. This is the easy part. This, and the beach.
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