More than 1,000 children received toys Monday during the 19th annual Three Kings Day celebration in Aurora, according to city officials.
Celebrated on the 12th day after Christmas, Three Kings Day pays tribute to the day more than 2,000 years ago when the three wise men – three kings from different nations – followed the star to Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus and presented him with gifts, city officials said.
Gifts were indeed the buzzword of the two-hour ceremony on Monday which began at 4 p.m. at La Quinta de los Reyes restaurant at 36 E. New York St.
Officials said a total of 1,100 toys were distributed a year ago and that more than 1,200 were planned to be distributed on Monday.
The event also included free food, drinks, music and more.
Clayton Muhammad, chief communications and equity officer for the city of Aurora, said the annual event continues to be supported through a foundation as well as the city and aldermen “who support it financially.”
“Last year 1,100 toys were given away, just a way to celebrate Three Kings Day which is celebrated throughout the Christian world but for us in this area, particularly, with our Latino community,” Muhammad said.
He said it is “so significant” to have the three kings at the event “represented by people in our community of different races – often Black, Latino and white – and show the unity of the community and giving gifts to kids.”
Muhammad called the annual event “a special day” that continues to bring hundreds of families out “despite the cold weather each year.”
“We have lines around the door and there is a good energy and a good celebration and this is the first day back to school and so kids get to celebrate with another holiday right after school,” he said. “We get a lot of support from businesses throughout the city and each year, more and more want to sponsor this because they see the tremendous impact it has and the sheer numbers that come out.”
Claudia Urrutia, owner of La Quinta de los Reyes, was excited to be hosting the event and noted that the toy collection from stores was completed “after Christmas within about a week.”
“The faces of the kids getting the toys – even the parents enjoying the tradition – there’s a lot of them who didn’t go back to their original countries in Latin America and we get to relive this again through the gifts,” she said. “As a kid myself, when I was little, my mom could only buy one toy. Sometimes, no toys, and we’ve been doing this for so many years.”
Brian Pool of Warrenville was again playing the role of one of the kings, something he has also done all 19 years of the event.
“My favorite part is to see the little kids and the grandmas and grandpas that want to get their picture with the king because that’s what they grew up with,” Pool said. “This is when they got their presents on Jan. 6, not Christmas Eve. I feel the message is being delivered because while people are waiting, they’re all asking questions about the kings and things like that. They understand this was when the gifts were presented to the baby Jesus.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
