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Dia de los Reyes

How Dia de los Reyes traditions vary between countries…and best Rosca recipe!

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Dia de los Reyes, or Three Kings Day, is a Latino and Hispanic holiday that takes place on January 6th, also known as the Epiphany. 

The history behind the day honors the Three Wise Men and the biblical story of how they traveled for twelve days to give gifts to baby Jesus. The three Kings, named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar followed a star across the desert to deliver symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

For many, the holiday is known as a “second Christmas” and traditionally it is the day when Hispanic households exchange gifts, concluding the Christmas holiday festivities. 

Originally, Christmas was celebrated for more than just one day, with the holiday spanning twelve days following December 25th and concluding on January 6th. You may be familiar with the holiday song The Twelve Days of Christmas. This song describes those twelve days, when many would traditionally give gifts throughout the long holiday, concluding with the Epiphany where the most gifts were given. 

For Latino and Hispanic households, the Epiphany is celebrated with just as much spirit as others celebrate Christmas on December 25th. While the tradition originated in Spain, many Latin American countries have adapted those traditions with their own twists and cultural inspiration. 

Dia de los Reyes traditions by country 

Depending on where you’re from, Dia de los Reyes traditions may vary, but one aspect that remains the same is gift-giving. Similar to Christmas traditions, children anticipate the arrival of the Three Kings like others anticipate Santa Claus and in the morning children wake to find gifts. 

In countries such as Puerto Rico, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the celebration starts on January 5th with Víspera de Reyes, or Three Kings Eve, where children collect grass or hay in a box, as a gift for the camels. Instead of leaving out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for reindeer, Hispanic and Latino children leave out their old shoes along with their gift to the camels. 

In the morning, children wake to find their shoes filled with candies and other small gifts along with bigger gifts as well. Family members then gather to exchange gifts with each other and celebrate. Countries like Colombia use this family gathering to take down their Christmas tree and other decorations, as the holiday signals the end of the Christmas season. 

For countries such as Peru and Brazil, the day is celebrated with parades honoring the holiday in a mix of cultural traditions and religious ceremonies. 

And Mexico, a big part of Dia de los Reyes is the Rosca de Reyes. This round sweet-bread is decorated to resemble a king’s crown with the candied dried fruit. Part of the tradition includes a small baby Jesus figurine baked into the bread. Whoever finds the toy must then host a party for everyone on Día de la Candelaria or the Day of the Candles on February 2. 

Interested in making a rosca yourself? Check out this recipe by Latina chef, Yvette Marquez, where she adds her own twist on the traditional dish. 

You might be interested: Try these healthy holiday food recipes by Latina chefs 

We want to know: how do you and your family celebrate Dia de los Reyes? Share your story with us in the comments below or on social media!

resilience in children during Covid-19

How MiLegasi’s founder deals with resilience in children during COVID-19

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Over the past few months, Covid-19 has had a tremendous impact on everyone world-wide. It has disrupted our routines, sense of structure, and security. The pandemic has not only threatened our physical health but also our mental health as we all try to adapt to these changing and uncertain times. While we as adults are able to understand the situation, children are struggling during this time, which is why it is crucial that caregivers work to build emotional resilience in children during Covid-19. 

#DONATE10 Donate $10 or more to our #2020WEES Giveaway and we will send you a mask like this one, fun, washable and reusable made by a Latina entrepreneur! Help Latina entrepreneurs who are struggling keep their businesses afloat! 

https://pages.donately.com/latinasinbusinessinc/campaign/2020wees

resilience in children during Covid-19

Janny Perez and her daughter (Photo courtesy Janny Perez)

Janny Perez, founder of Mi Legasi, has been working to do just that with her young daughter. Family has always been at the center of Janny’s life from growing up in Miami surrounded by a rich cultural community to becoming a mother herself and starting her family-focused brand, she has always believed in the power of family. 

Her company is a brand that offers both clothing and multicultural tools to help parents raise bilingual children who appreciate their Latino heritage. Her work centers around building strong bonds between parents and children through a positive celebration of heritage and her belief in the power of family has only strengthened during the pandemic. 

Managing big emotions in children

Children have big emotions for such little people. These emotions are often difficult to handle, even in normal situations. During times of stress and trauma, it can become even harder for young children to regulate their own emotions and you may notice children acting out more and having tantrums. These responses are expressions of their own stress and anxiety.

resilience in children during Covid-19

Janny Perez and her daughter (Photo courtesy Janny Perez)

Many parents, like Janny, have been thrust into new and uncertain territory as they try to juggle quarantine, homeschooling, running a business and just trying to stay sane! They may feel uncertain themselves and may not know how to handle their own emotions, let alone their child’s emotions.

However, having a sensitive, responsive caregiver is essential to building resilience in children during Covid-19. Children depend on the adults in their lives to provide a sense of safety and security. They can easily pick up on stress, anxiety, and negative emotions and will model their behavior after others. Children learn to regulate their own emotions from these models, so it is especially important that parents and caregivers take the time to manage their own stress and emotions in positive ways for children to emulate their responses. 

Talking to your child about Covid-19

Adults should also be honest about the situation with their young children and maintain open communication by using age-appropriate information to talk about Covid-19 .

Janny and her husband, Percy, faced this difficulty with their own daughter. Recently turned 5-years old, their daughter was looking forward to her birthday party and to see her friends and family. However, due to the pandemic, the party had to be virtual. 

resilience in children during Covid-19

Janny, her husband and their daughter celebrating her birthday (Photo courtesy Janny Perez)

“It was especially hard to explain to her that no one besides mom and dad would be physically there,” says Janny. “As adults we are resilient, but kids are definitely going through a very hard time right now.” 

Many parents are having similar conversations with their children and while it may be difficult, having these open conversations, as Janny did with her daughter, will help children develop great resilience and understanding of the situation. 

Additionally, parents can follow the 3 R’s suggested by experts of reassurance, routine, and regulation to help build further resilience in children during Covid-19. 

You may be interested: Repositioning her brand, Gladys Cleaning Services faces COVID-19

Resilience as a foundation for life

 By creating a safe, supportive environment and communicating with her young daughter about the situation, Janny is working to instill life-long resilience in her daughter.  This resilience will equip her with the tools to navigate these uncertain times and any future obstacles in life. The major lesson Janny and her family have learned during the pandemic is how to approach unexpected situations with a flexible and resilient mentality.

“This whole experience has taught us that in life you can only plan so much,” Janny says. “Sometimes life has its own plans and you have to be flexible and willing to adapt.” 

Though there have been some challenging and exhausting moments, Janny feels blessed to have her husband at home more and they have become a stronger, unified front for Mi Legasi. Additionally during this time they have helped serve their community by making affordable face masks which are available for sale on their site now. 

resilience in children during Covid-19

MiLegasi masks for adults and children (Photo courtesy Janny Perez)

“I believe that if we can go through this now, we can face any challenge or adversity in the future,” she says. “When you’re surrounded by people that lift you, anything and everything is possible.” 

And while each day may bring new challenges and difficulties, Janny and her family are taking it one day at a time…”one cafecito at a time.”

Latino traditions

Janny Perez Mi Legasi keeps Latino traditions alive for moms and kids

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Latina entrepreneur Janny Perez is the creator of Mi Legasi, a bilingual subscription box and shop that brings the vibrant Latino culture to moms who want their children to learn and cherish their Latino traditions. 

Janny Perez Mi Legasi at the 2017 Latina SmallBiz Expo in Newark NJ keeping Latino traditions alive.

Mi Legasi strives to empower families and connect children with their Latino traditions and culture. Each box comes with a variety of items such as bilingual Spanish books, toys, games, craft projects, and family activities along with special gifts for mamá such as beauty, home, office, or accessory items.

The idea for Mi Legasi came after Janny had her daughter, Victoria, in 2015. “I felt the need to ensure that she understood where she came from and what it meant for her to be Latina,” Janny explains. “I wanted her to experience the music, foods, language, culture and stories that were passed down to me.”

In May of 2017 Mi Legasi was officially created as a way to empower moms and families to connect with Latino traditions and culture, focus on quality family time, and create their own legacy.

Mi Legacy keeps  Latino traditions alive

Latino traditions

Janny Perez’s daughter Victoria was the inspiration for her company Mi Legasi

Mi Legasi is Janny’s legacy, which she dedicates as tribute to her immigrant parents and to her daughter Victoria as a reminder that anything can be accomplished through hard work and dedication.

Janny credits her father for much of her spirit and dedication. “He is my hero,” she says. The youngest of many siblings, her father grew up poor on a coffee farm in Colombia. “He had dreams of flying and seeing the world. Without any formal education and lots of hard work, sweat, and determination, my father accomplished this.” It is this dedication and example that has influenced Janny to strive for her own dreams.

Janny Perez as  Latina entrepreneur

Latino traditions

Bilingual books included in the subscription box

As a Latina entrepreneur, she believes her biggest strengths to be her tenacity, creativity, and generosity.

“Tenacity is not just going after your dream, but taking action to get there,” Janny explains. “It’s waking up early or working late while the rest of the world sleeps. It’s the ability to face rejection with optimism because you know something bigger will come.”

Her creativity helps her in many aspects of her business, from design and product creation to photography and social media posts. Lastly, her generosity allows her to use her business platform to help others from sending Latina moms suffering due to illness a Mi Legasi kindness package to donating to impoverished children in Latin America.

She believes the key to facing all obstacles and challenges is to be headstrong and disciplined. “If you let fear drive you, you won’t go far.” She has three key mottos to staying strong. First is to trust in your faith, whatever that may be– “God, the universe or your gut. It’s that spark inside you that keeps you pushing forward.” Second is to be flexible and open to change. And last is to have patience. All things take time.

Never be afraid to speak up

Latino traditions

The box also includes products for mom.

To Latinas looking to dive into their own business ventures or achieve success in their careers Janny says, “Never be afraid to speak up and don’t settle just because it’s the status quo….As Latinas we are afraid. Our culture has at times limited our beliefs that we can. We are the lowest paid of minorities. We need to break the cycle.”

Overall, Janny advises to stay determined and know the realities of starting a business. “Know that you will likely lose money, work day and night, make lots of sacrifices, worry, and that the road is curved and unpredictable but what you learn and the connections you make are far greater than you’d expect. Know that you can and you will, just one day at a time!”

On her struggles as a business owner Janny says, “Being a ‘mompreneur’ has been quite challenging. It’s not a regular 9 to 5 job so you don’t really have days off, but it’s flexible.”

Janny believes in the importance of creating one’s own legacy and following one’s dreams no matter the obstacles. All things are possible with hard work, patience, and tenacity. Her business came from her motherhood and so Janny hopes that Mi Legasi can help and inspire other Latina moms to create their own legacies with their children.  

 

Latino traditions

 

women of color lack of access to capital

Achieve the American Dream without losing your Latin Soul (free session)

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Attractive Hispanic Woman Leaning on a One Hundred Dollar Bill.

What is your American Dream? Family, values, traditions? Money, fame, achievement?

What is your American Dream? And what does that mean to you? Are you living it?

If you were like most young Latinas, you dreamed about what your life would be like when you grew up. And like many American girls, you may have imagined marrying your Prince Charming, living in a beautiful home, having children and perhaps even a career of your own. Some of you may even have dreamed about traveling to exotic places, being independent and breaking traditional female gender roles.

Childhood dreams never truly die: they lie within you seeking to someday be fully realized!

For most Americans today, the American Dream means living in a home of their own, having a successful career or perhaps their own business. For others the American Dream means achieving fame, amassing wealth, or accumulating an abundance of material possessions.

For me, the American Dream means having the freedom to control my own destiny. Living the Dream means I have discovered my purpose in life and am free to pursue my vision of happiness, wherever that road may lead me. Although the American Dream may possibly mean different things to different people, one thing is certain:

For Latinas in America, achieving the American Dream is meaningless if they lose their Latin Soul in the process!

The soul is that part of you that seeks meaning and purpose and a connection with something greater than yourself. After all, isn’t it your connection to your faith, family and culture that nurtures your Latin soul and gives meaning to your life?

Who are you, as a Latina, without your familia, native culture and religious traditions?

Happy Hispanic Family Portrait Sitting in Grass Field with Ghosted House Figure Behind.

Who are you, as a Latina, without your familia?

And for us, family doesn’t mean just the traditional nuclear family consisted of a man, a woman and 2.3 children. No, for Latinos family means the extended family of abuelos, tíos, tías and of course primos with whom you grew up and created mischief when you were young. For Latinos, without these relationships life feels empty, void of the bonds that give meaning to our lives.

This is the challenge for Latinos in America today . . . We live in two worlds!

On the one hand, we grow up in a world where faith, family and “frijoles” are values we hold dear. On the other, we live in a society where independence, notoriety and achievement are esteemed above all else.

In the Latino world, we give a warm abrazo or beso when we say hello or goodbye, even to someone we just met. In the other world, a firm handshake or even cold shoulder is considered an appropriate salutation even when you have known someone for years.

As a Latina business professional, you face a dilemma because in our world it is considered bad manners to brag about your accomplishments, flaunt your wealth or attract attention to yourself, and yet to succeed in America today, you must often stand out from the crowd.

Yes, Latinos live in two worlds!

One reason is because our core values, the soul of Hispanic culture, revolve around our extended family. Our family is part of our identity and is included in our hopes and dreams. Success in business and life in general is meaningless for Latinos without family with whom to share our good fortune. Our family is our foundation, inspiration and a source of strength.

So what is the secret to achieving the American Dream without losing your Latin soul?

startups, small business, launching a business

Have you defined your core values?

The key is to bridge the gap between your two worlds. As a Latina living in America you are influenced by the values of two distinct cultures. In fact, it is virtually impossible to succeed in school or in the workplace without incorporating into your life at least some traditional American cultural values.

The way to bridge the gap between worlds is to orient your life around your core values. Core values are the essence of who you are at the deepest level of your being. Core values are things that give your life meaning and purpose. Core values are what you find meaningful, like beauty, justice and family, when all your needs are met.

Have you defined your core values?

In my coaching practice, I always make sure my clients clearly define their core values before they set any business or career goals. The reason being too many business professionals, Latinas included, chase after success with the erroneous assumption that success will make them happy. It does not!

You may be able to achieve success without living your core values, but you may also find that the ladder of success you worked so hard to climb was leaning against the wrong wall. True and sustainable success, in business and life, is a consequence of living according to your core values and sharing your natural gifts and talents with the world. By bridging the gap between your two worlds you can achieve the American Dream without losing your Latin soul!

 

YOUR VALUES are the behaviors and activities to which you are naturally drawn.  Values are who you really are and they include: … Creating, … Contributing, … Adventure, … Beauty, … Teaching and… Spirituality.

Don Daniel offers a free 40-minute coaching session to those who would like to start working on his Tru Values™ Program: this program helps you to understand values, discern your top 4 values and puts you on a path to honoring them. Sign up now! Only 3 free sessions offered!

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Daniel Ortiz Daniel Ortiz (Don Daniel) is an award-winning author and host of the popular TV show “American Dream – Latin Souls,” which shares the inspiring story of Hispanic business success. To learn more or purchase his book visit www.LatinoSuccess.com.