3/9/2023 0 Comments Dia de la candelaria![]() At times a godparent is chosen for the niño Dios, who is then responsible for hosting various celebrations between Christmas and Candlemas. On this day, believers honor “the rising of the Baby Jesus,” which consists of people carrying images and figures of baby Jesus to be blessed at the church.Īnother important custom in Mexico, particularly in areas where traditions run strong, is for families to own an image of the Christ child, a niño Dios. It is believed that the infant Jesus would have been taken to the temple on February second. Religious Roots: February 2nd falls forty days after Christmas, which date Catholics observe as the “Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin” or as the “Presentation of the Lord.”Īccording to Jewish law a woman was considered unclean for 40 days after giving birth so it was customary to bring a baby to the temple after that period of time had passed. The Mexican celebration of Día de la Candelaria is an acknowledgement of both the European and pre-Hispanic traditions, as tamales were used as offerings to the god of water, Tláloc, to ensure abundant rains for a plentiful harvest. It is also ‘payback day’ for those who found a figure in their portion of the Day of Kings cake (January 6): this person is obligated to host a party of atole and tamales for all their family and friends. After the family gathering, it’s time to take down all the Christmas decor and welcome the spring season. Tell me, I’d love to hear if or how your family enjoys these holidays.In a country that loves its celebrations, the observance of Candlemas, February 2, is the official closure to the Mexican holiday season. I also shared my atole & champurrado recipe that had the perfect sweetness and thickness for my liking. I have a long way to go, but I’m excited to say I’ve made 3 batches, each one a little better than the last. This year I made it a priority to start learning how to make tamales. ![]() Lastly, Dia de la Candelaria is also a sign of transition from the holiday and winter season to the Spring, in the same way Groundhog Day is that for the United States. This Mexican tradition is the acknowledgement of both the European and pre-Hispanic traditions since tamales were used as offerings to the god of water in hopes that the rain is abundant for a good harvest in the coming year. And if you are the one who found it in your piece of bread, the torch is passed and it’s customary for you to host the Dia de Candelaria celebration with lots of tamales and atole for your family. Pan de Reyes is a bread with a little baby Jesus figurine hidden inside. It’s also 40 days from Christmas which according to Jewish law is how long a women is considered unclean after giving birth.ĭia de los Reyes is the family celebration on Jan 6th, where Pan de Reyes is eaten. To give you a context for the progression of the holidays:įirst, on Christmas Eve, the Niño Dios, or baby Jesus is placed in the nativity scene, on January 6th, King's Day, the baby Jesus is brought presents from the Magi, and on February 2nd, the baby Jesus is dressed in fine clothes and presented in the church.ĭia de la Candelaria is based on the passage in scripture Luke 2:22-39 when Jesus was presented at the temple and was referred to as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people of Israel” giving significance to the candles. ![]() But rather than sit in that self conscious state, I know that I want to be able to teach my children as I dive deep into historical dates and the reasons behind them. I get self conscious when it comes to traditions or holidays I’ve never celebrated or heard of because it’s part of my culture, and I feel like I SHOULD know about this. This is actually the first year I’ve done research on these two events. These two holidays are a follow up to Christmas. I even made Rosca de Reyes the traditional bread for this day. And this was the first year that we celebrated (in our own way) Dia de los Reyes which was on Jan 6th. I’ll be honest, and say I’ve never celebrated Dia de la Candelaria.
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