Día de los Reyes Magos brings families together, keeps traditions strong

For Aurora's Hispanic community, the holiday season isn't officially over until Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) is celebrated on Jan. 6. The Día de los Reyes Magos and Rosca tradition hosted by La Quinta de Los Reyes restaurant has been a staple event for the community for nearly 20 years. Its guiding principles are to ensure that Mexican traditions are passed from generation to generation and that the community continues to celebrate holidays as they do in Mexico.

"This is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. It allows us to continue sharing our culture and traditions from Mexico with our youth in the United States," said Karina Y. Garcia, President & CEO of the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Every Día de los Reyes Magos, three community members dress as the Three Kings and distribute presents to children. Rosca, a special sweet bread shaped like a wreath, is also prepared and enjoyed throughout the festivities. Día de los Reyes Magos is a time for families and friends to gather and express gratitude for each other and all they have.

It's a celebration families look forward to each January, and this year's festivities were no exception. Although the pandemic forced the restaurant to continue hosting the event as a drive-by experience instead of an indoor party, it did not disappoint.

La Quinta de Los Reyes and the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce once again set up a successful drive-by event that allowed hundreds of families to celebrate Día de los Reyes Magos safely. On Jan. 6, families drove by the restaurant so that gifts from the Three Kings and the rosca could be loaded into each family's car. In total, more than 300 families participated in this wonderful tradition. Thanks to the event's organizers and generous sponsors, including Gerald Kia of North Aurora, the Three Kings gave away more than 700 toys to children of all ages.

"We are thrilled to once again support La Quinta de Los Reyes and the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to help bring this celebration to life," said Donna Lawler, Vice President of Branding and Risk Management for the Gerald Auto Group. "We love helping give children a reason to smile and supporting ways they can learn about their heritage."

To learn more about Gerald Kia of North Aurora, visit https://www.geraldkianorthaurora.com.

To learn more about the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, visit http://www.ahcc-il.com.