Over a dozen households turned Jacaranda Circle in Hollister into their own festival as they celebrated Children’s Day on April 30, complete with homemade foods, sweet treats, games of skill, tables filled with prizes, and a castle-themed bounce house.
In her driveway, 73-year-old Maria Lezama, who organized the event, was helping prepare elotes (corn on the cob) for the children lining up at her home, as she has been doing for the last 20 years in this neighborhood and for 10 years before that at the Del Rio Apartments, bringing the tradition of Mexico’s El Día Del Niño to Hollister.
Lezama grew up in poverty, taking her first job when she was eight years old. She helped a woman care for her six children, starting work at 6 a.m. and working until 5 p.m.
“I didn’t have much of a childhood,” she said. “So I don’t want that to happen to these kids. I want them to have the childhood I didn’t have.”
Lezama’s daughter, Veronica, who acted as translator and is a transportation planning manager for the Council of San Benito County Governments, said that her mother begins preparations for the event a month in advance.
“She starts by printing out flyers in both English and Spanish,” she said. “Then she goes around the circle inviting all of the families to participate. It’s definitely a neighborhood event. The neighbors also invite friends, so we get quite a few people coming. Last year, I think, over a hundred people showed up.”
Each household makes its own unique contribution, including horchata, candied apples, grilled hamburgers, nachos, cotton candy, and, of course, Maria’s elotes. There were tables covered in cookies, rice treats, candy and bags of chips.
“We try to do as many healthy foods and snacks as possible,” Veronica said. “But we really just want the kids to come out and enjoy the day. We have games for them, and they can win prizes. We get donations of toys from friends or people in the neighborhood and raffle them off. We want to see the children smile and be happy.”
Día Del Niño was instituted in Mexico in 1924, according to La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos (The National Rights Commission), one year before International Children’s Day was declared by the World Conference on Child Welfare in Geneva. Traditionally the day is celebrated in the United States on the second Sunday in June.
Veronica has helped her mother stage the event since Maria revived it in Hollister 30 years ago. Maria also organizes posadas in December. Veronica said she thought it is important to continue traditions like Dia Del Niño whenever possible.
“As we get older, we forget our roots and where we come from,” she said. “And although I’m an American citizen, I carry deep roots in Mexico, and I want to share that with the United States.”
As for the children, they are just excited to be the focus of attention and have an excuse to hang out with their friends as they eat and play games.
“We got to walk around the circle,” said Adan Rodriguez, 8. “The games are really fun. I am not really hungry since I already ate, but I want to get some of the cotton candy.”
“Every neighborhood should do this,” said Adan’s grandfather, Fernando, who was attending the event for the first time. “When we were young, nobody did anything like this for us. But it is a good party, and everybody is happy. It is nice to see it happening and to see people caring about their neighborhood.”
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