In the past years, January 6 normally reminds me of the Three Kings day that means it's the last day of christmas and you can start hiding the christmas tree back to the store room, it's my cousin's birthday too (Ate Ría) and it's the same date when I last spoke to my dad before he passed away 14 years back .....but now there's another thing that will remind me of this day....the Rosca de Reyes bread... :D
Let me share to you this Mexican tradition i just met....
During the era of the kings of France, bread was filled with a lima bean, and the person who found it in his bread would receive the gift that His Highness had prepared for the event. The idea was to place a lima bean in the bread dough, which was usually filled with fruits like dates and raisins, and this bread was shared around the time of the New Year festivities.
The tradition changed a bit when it arrived to the Americas, transforming itself according to the customs and resources of our country, where it eventually became the rosca. Here the rosca is decorated with pieces of orange and lime, and is filled with nuts, figs, and cherries. Hot chocolate accompanies the rosca.
So every year, on January 6, families all across Mexico gather around their tables to share the rosca de reyes. And now, instead of finding a lima bean in the bread, a little plastic doll representing Jesus is placed in the bread. The person who receives a piece of bread with this doll inside has to make the tamales used in the fiesta de la Candelaria on February 2. This celebration is the last of the Christmas festivities, 40 days after Jesus's birth.
And of course we had rosca today and guess what? I've got a little plastic doll inside my rosca...They said it's good luck if you find one cause it's like you have the baby Jesús with you...Now that I've got good luck I guess I need to learn how to make tamales so I will be ready for February 2. :D It's so nice to know new tradition....it's like standing in the same position and seeing different views in every direction you look....Happy Three Kings everyone!
