Dia de Reyes and Childhood Illusions

by Liza Ann Acosta

Ayrin had whispered to me while we knelt on the the ground and pulled grass to fill our shoeboxes--"I saw the gifts in the closet. The Three Kings are our parents. They are not real." I countered, "Yes, the are! They are in the Bible!" "Si, I know, but they don't come to our houses bringing gifts. But anyway, keep it a secret because Lyma and Javi still believe." I almost cried. I looked at the half empty shoebox wondering where the grass that the horses of the Three Kings were supposed to eat went every year. I had stopped believing in Santa Claus when I saw my mom put the gift under my bed weeks earlier. But I held on to the Three Kings, because at least there was evidence of their existence in the gospels. My dad stood nearby talking loudly to the adult neighbors watching our grass collecting about the approach of the Kings. He pointed to three bright stars and said, "They are close, look, the three stars are getting brighter tonight." I looked up and wondered if Ayrin was right. I was very sad and disappointed. Ayrin would not lie to me.

Morning came and my mom woke me up. "Lisita, the Three Kings came!" I did not rush to the tree as I usually did, my innocent belief snatched at dusk, so I was in no hurry to see gifts bought and wrapped by my parents. But I heard clanging and the voice of my father outside talking to no one about "how careless this year they were." I looked at my mom who shrugged and said, "he has been cleaning for a while now. Open your gifts! The Three Kings came!" Confused and hopeful I started unwrapping the first gift when my dad came in dramatically sweeping his brow of sweat. "Those Three Kings Horses were very messy this year. Leaving all that grass half eaten and strewn about the front. Los Reyes even forgot to close the front gates!" He gestured about putting away a broom and a dustpan. I looked under the tree and saw a few blades of grass still there. "I am going to be sweeping grass for a good month now. What carelessness!" he said and I thought he was really mad at the Kings for a moment. "So, did they bring you what you wanted?"

I don't even remember what the gifts were. All I know was that my parents gave me back the illusion of that day when the wisemen came from the East bearing the gift of faith to all of us, traveling from very far to see the baby who they believed would bring peace to a very troubled planet. I still hang on to that illusion.

Today is January 6th, the day of the Epiphany. Feliz Dia de Reyes! Or like my mom prefers to say now: JAPITRIKINDEI!

About our contributor: Liza Ann Acosta hails from Puerto Rico. She currently resides in Chicago and is a professor at North Park University. Last year was her first Christmas in the states, she was saddened that the celebrations ended so soon. So this year she has returned to ensure that she can properly observe and celebrate one of her favorite holidays: El Dia de Reyes.