HOLYOKE — When Tyrese Kuy was handed his gift at this year’s Three Kings Day Celebration at the William G. Morgan Elementary School, he didn’t know what to expect inside.
After ripping apart the festive wrapping paper, Kuy, 11, beamed as he held exactly what he wanted — a brand new basketball.
“I needed this one because I have two basketballs at my house that are pretty flat,” said Tyrese, who said his favorite NBA team is the Los Angeles Lakers.
The event, now in its 20th year, is organized by local nonprofit community organization Nueva Esperanza to celebrate a marked holiday on the Puerto Rican calendar known for gift-giving, Three Kings Day. The holiday, which falls on Monday and is also known as the Epiphany, commemorates the biblical moment when the Three Kings visited Jesus shortly after his birth and is celebrated in many Spanish-speaking countries.
Rosa Pantoja, president of Nueva Esperanza’s board of directors, said around 2,000 brand-new toys had been donated from a toy drive — including 900 presents from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program. The event was open to any Holyoke Public School and Holyoke Community Charter School students. Leftover toys will be kept for next year’s event, Pantoja said.
“It’s always been a part of my culture,” Pantoja said of Three Kings Day. “It’s important for Nueva to make sure that the community continues this culture and they know about it, and that it’s celebrated as much as it is in Puerto Rico.”
Nueva Esperanza organized the event in partnership with the Holyoke Public Schools, One Holyoke CDC, InRosanna’s Mind Consultation Services, the South Holyoke Neighborhood Association, the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative, Enlace de Familias and other organizations.
Children and their families — several hundred in all — waited patiently in one of the school’s hallways before the start of the day’s events. After each group checked in, they were brought to a room where volunteers gave out gifts, before moving to a second room where workers gave out food and collected raffle tickets for other gifts such as play sets and Disney princess dolls.
Each of the two rooms had its own set of people playing the eponymous three kings, who were ready and willing to get into the festive spirit and take photos with kids. Costumed volunteers dressed as “Frozen” characters such as Olaf, Anna and Elsa, as well as SpongeBob SquarePants, danced with guests to Latin music that blasted through the school.
“It’s something positive for the community, to give back and make sure the kids are having a good time,” said Roy Lichtenstein of Enlace de Familias, who was dressed as Melchior, one of the three kings who is said to have gifted Jesus gold. Standing next to him were costumed Caspar and Balthazar, who brought frankincense and myrrh to Jesus, respectively.
Karoline Orria said she usually brings her daughter and niece to events at their school because of how well-run and family-friendly they are. Orria said she thinks the focus on Three Kings Day will keep the tradition “alive for the kids,” especially since about half of Holyoke’s population is Puerto Rican.
Orria’s niece Joslianny Romero, 6, said she likes Three Kings Day because of the animals in the manger. Romero’s cousin Karylis Orria, 6, said she hoped her gift was a train set, but questioned how Jesus would open the gifts the three kings gave him since he was a baby.
“Is God going to open them for him?” Karylis asked.
Before the event began, Jennifer Caisse said she came with her daughter and grandchildren because it gave the family something fun to do on the weekend. Standing in the hallway as she held her 7-month-old grandson, Milyes Caisse, Jennifer Caisse said she was excited to observe the holiday with the local Puerto Rican community.
“We’re Puerto Ricans,” Jennifer Caisse said. “And Puerto Rican people like to celebrate.”
Michael Connors can be reached at mconnors@gazettenet.com.