Cavalcade of the Three Kings

Pat Mora

Soon after our post about Three Kings’ Day, I received the following description from my daughter Libby Martinez (also my co-author) who is spending three years in Madrid with her husband:

“Three Kings Day here is as important (or more important) than Christmas Day…you can even sit on one of the Three Kings laps and ask them for gifts like we would ask Santa for gifts!

This past Tuesday evening was the Cabalgata de Reyes (Cavalcade of the Three Kings) which is a massive parade that takes place in downtown Madrid, complete with huge floats, and candy being thrown to all the kids…a huge family event…and on TV they even show the Three Kings arriving earlier in the day on an Iberia airplane (which is their version of Southwest)…too funny! We happened to be down at the parade route earlier in the day by accident (as we happen to often be in many places by accident these days) so we saw them setting everything up and the music was playing etc. (9 times out of 10 the music playing anywhere is American music and this was no exception…and that includes listening to Neil Diamond sing Christmas carols in our neighborhood grocery store last week)…next year we’re going to try and catch the full parade!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalcade_of_Magihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalcade_of_Magi

http://www.libbymartinez.com

January 6: Celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany

Pat Mora

The Bakery Lady/La señora de la panaderíaI’ve always loved the idea of the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day or Los Tres Reyes, the end of the Christmas season. The night before is often celebrated as Twelfth Night. In part I’m attached to this celebration because I love the word epiphany from the Greek meaning a manifestation or striking insight.

I wrote The Bakery Lady/La señora de la panadería to show a close Mexican-American family celebrating this tradition by baking together. As part of my research, I had the pleasure of visiting behind-the-scenes of a small bakery I liked. Wonderful scents of bread baking and spices. Years later when the book came out, I discovered that indeed a young girl had been raised at the bakery by her loving grandparents.

Enjoy learning about celebrations in Mexico, Spain and Latin America.

Wishing you epiphanies on January 6 and throughout this first month of 2016.

Special thanks for a good Día year

Pat Mora

As the year ends, I especially want to send a special thanks to those who have helped me promote and grow Children’s Day, Book Day/El día de los niños, El día de los libros (Día) in 2015. GRACIAS to my web team Bobbie Combs and Laurina Cashin, Angela Hubbard and the ALSC Staff, Kyle Zimmer and First Book, especially Roxana Barillas, Mark Smith at the Texas State Library, Pat Smith at the Texas Library Association, our new couple Día Dynamos, Dan and Kay Moore and Thom Eberhardt & Christy Vasquez, Elizabeth Martinez, and my loyal fan and sister, Stella Mora Henry.

Illustration from A Pinata in a Pine Tree by Pat Mora

Illustration by Magaly Morales from A Piñata in a Pine Tree: A Latino Twelve Days of Christmas

I hope you enjoy sharing A Piñata in a Pine Tree: A Latino Twelve Days of Christmas

Pat Mora

pinata-visual-dec-2015Some ideas for sharing:

  • Have students draw the book, or a few pages, as you read it aloud.
  • Ask the students when and where they hear languages other than English. Do they like to learn new words in other languages? What new words did they learn in this book?
  • Help students make their favorite gift in the book and give it to their amiga/o.
  • Learn to sing the song and perform it for another class or group.