Celebration of Children’s Day In Mexico
Shannon King, Charity Director
El Día del Nino – Children’s Day, in Mexico, is celebrated as a tribute to honor and appreciate children. Since 1925, April 30th marks a national day of observance that includes fun, festivals, and no school! All of Mexico celebrates its’ children by endorsing their wellbeing and paying tribute to their importance in society. Children’s Day focuses on the importance of loving, accepting, and appreciating children. Traditionally, all children receive gifts from their parents and relatives.
Children’s Day is one of the happiest and most anticipated days of the year. Children are celebrated and treated with loads of fun. At school, regular lessons are canceled but the kids come for a fun filled day of parties and activities including story-telling, games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, art workshops, face painting, piñatas, and plays.
Businesses, organizations, children’s centers, theaters, and parks also organize other festivities and special programs for their special guests. Stores and market offer presents and candies for children of all ages. Some even distribute for free. There are games to play, prizes to win, rides to enjoy, treats to savor and bags of candy to take home. Churches provide fun, children’s services and mission work to show them how precious they are in the eyes of God. Local amusement parks offer free admission to visitors under age 12. The atmosphere is transformed into a colorful and all out decorated fiesta with flying banners, piñatas, live music, outdoor games, and puppet shows.
Many children will attend these festivities in traditional costumes and sombreros. They also love to partake in a fun and delicious tradition of stirring a chocolate drink while singing the following song. The song gets faster and faster with each time around.
Bate, bate, chocolate (Stir, stir, chocolate)
Tu nariz de cacahuate (Your nose is a peanut)
Uno, dos, tres, CHO! (one, two, three, CHO!)
Uno, dos, tres, CO! (one, two, three, CO!)
Uno, dos, tres, LA! (one, two, three, LA!)
Uno, dos, tres, TE! (one, two, three, TE!)
Chocolate, chocolate! (Chocolate, chocolate!)
Bate, bate chocolate! (Stir, stir, chocolate!)
Bate, bate, bate, bate! (Stir, stir, stir, stir!)
Bate, bate, CHOCOLATE! (Stir, stir, CHOCOLATE!)
This sounds like a fabulous day to be a child! Personally, I LOVE chocolate and I love supporting children. If you would like to support the poor children of Tecate, Mexico for Children’s Day or any other day with a donation, please contact Trinitarians of Mary at trinitarianswestcovina@gmail.com.
Needed items include:
Pinto beans, rice, sugar, oatmeal, tomato sauce, evaporated milk, peanut butter, tuna, pasta.
School supplies, shoes & clothing, coloring books, crayons & markers, plush toys, goody bags, infant items, piñatas, and candy
Thank you and God bless you for support of our most precious gifts, the children!
