By Michelle da Silva Richmond
Now that Santa is safely tucked back in the North Pole after doing his annual Christmas deliveries, Mexicans kick off the New Year by adhering to a time-honored custom of celebrating Los Reyes Magos, or Three Wise Men on January 6.
While modern Mexicans have embraced Santa Claus and the tradition of exchanging gifts on December 25, many residents – especially in rural areas – celebrate this holiday, which finds sleepy-eyed boys and girls awakening to find small gifts in their shoes, rather than in their stockings.
On the eve of January 6th, families and friends gather to share a traditional “Rosca de Reyes,” a ring-shaped cake with a small baby baked inside. The person who finds the baby must host a party on Candlemas Day, February 2. In more traditional communities, some cakes contain a ring and a thimble, the recipient of the former being assured of marriage within the year, while the receiver of the thimble can look forward to a year of single “bliss.”
On Sunday, January 6 in honor of the holiday, Viña del Mar Restaurant will be serving the Rosca de Reyes and hot chocolate from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Chilling Out
Our award-winning Gem Spa will be welcoming guests with special January promotions – guaranteed to promote Rest and Relaxation after the stressful holidays. We’re offering daily specials at both our Spa and luxurious Spa Beauty Salon so why not kick back and allow your stress to melt away!
For instance, the Spa Salon is offering a discounted price for the combo Grand Coral Manicure and Grand Coral Pedicure and is throwing in a free soothing paraffin treatment for hands and feet with this purchase.
Gem Spa’s palatial setting with its backdrop of rich wood, sand-colored marble, shimmering Italian tile and soothing water rippling across small black granite channels, creates the perfect ambiance for total relaxation.
The Spa is especially known for our “Hydrotherapy Ritual,” a 10-step process, which includes an aromatherapy steam room, clay steam room, ice room, polar plunge and pebble walkway, ending in the comforting “pool of sensations.”
The healing properties of hydrotherapy are based on the “thermal effects” they have. Generally, heat quiets and soothes the body, slowing down the activity of internal organs. Cold, in contrast, stimulates and invigorates, increasing internal activity. The combination guarantees a feeling of well-being overall.
The healing Hydrotherapy Ritual begins with a “guided circuit,” starting with the aromatherapy steam room, where a sea of warm aromatic steam envelopes you. Following, step into a multi-jet cold water shower to awaken your senses and close your pores before you’re led into a clay steam room, where you’ll start feeling your exhaustion peel away. When you’re done, rinse off under the water jets of a tepid rain shower, before stepping into the warm embrace of a hot sauna.
You’ll uncover many tempting treatments at Gem Spa and throughout January we’re featuring our 80-minute Seventh Wonder Luxury Massage and combining it with a complimentary facial with the purchase of the massage
This treatment combines placing seven quartzes on the corresponding chakras of your body while a skilled therapist soothes your sore muscles with a gentle massage enhanced by aromatic oils, guaranteed to enliven your senses and lull you into an enhanced state of tranquility.
There are many tempting treatments for both men and women so be sure to sign up for one of our January specials to welcome in the New Year.
You won’t be sorry!