When I was a child, we’d leave grass in a cardboard box and water in a plastic cup. We did it with wonder, not fully understanding who these Magi were or why they traveled on camels.
But we believed, and that was enough. On the morning of January 6, there would be crumbs on the floor, imaginary footprints, and a small gift that seemed to whisper, “Someone thought of you last night.”
Today, as I look at our Latino communities here in North Carolina, I reflect on what it means to keep this tradition alive far from home. What it means for families to bake a king cake—or rosca de Reyes—(a crown-shaped sweet bread eaten on January 6), tell the story of Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar, and assure their children: Yes, magic still exists.
The Epiphany—or Día de Reyes—isn’t just an old custom. It’s a way to resist forgetting. It’s saying: “Our stories matter, too.” It’s honoring faith, childhood, and hope.
And more than the gifts, what remains is the gesture: a letter written in crayon, the excitement of leaving something for others (the camels, the Magi, the family … ), the joy of waking up knowing the world was magical, if only for a moment.
In these fast, skeptical, digital times, Día de Reyes brings us back to the human. It invites us to pause. To return to ritual. To tell stories face to face. To bake bread in community. To protect wonder without shame.
And it doesn’t matter if we’re grown. We all need to feel remembered. To know that some gifts can’t be bought. That traditions, when shared with love, become eternal.
This January 6, let’s leave grass, water, and a note. Even if symbolic. Even if it’s just a reason to gather, laugh about the year behind, and embrace what’s ahead.
Because as long as we keep dreaming together, the Magi will always find their way to us.
And if you wish to celebrate this spirit in community, with music, joy, and the warmth of familiar traditions, the FLD Latin Social: Día de Reyes Edition in Fayetteville offers that chance. A night where our stories dance, where heritage becomes heartbeat, and where, just like in childhood, we remember that magic is real when we create it together.
Read CityView Magazine’s “New Year, New You” January 2026 e-edition here.
