Christmas in Mexico
christmas mexico observed december january one additional celebration february traditional decoration displayed holiday include nativity scene poinsettia christmas tree season begin celebration related virgin guadalupe patroness mexico followed tradition la posadas pastorelas christmas eve mass feast january arrival three wise men celebrated candlemas presentation image jesus child church tradition formed influence prehispanic period mexico colonial period thus incorporating indigenous spanish practice also influence germany united state christmas season mexico run december january one final celebration february christmas tradition incorporate remnant indigenous practice custom spain novel mexican invention colonial period later element united state germany market activity start late november traditional market new tianguis street market appearing stall dedicated selling gift decoration including traditional poinsettia nativity scene well christmas tree ornament electric light reindeer figure starting december residential unit home building decorated poinsettia named noche buena spanish phrase mean good night referring christmas eve prehispanic period called cuetlaxochitl appreciated midwinter poinsettia cherished indigenous people believed symbol fallen warrior receiving new life believed returned hummingbird drink nectar flower modern mexican legend say poinsettia weed miraculously turned beautiful flower child could present infant jesus name plant also used refer dark bockstyle beer available christmas season since second half th century mexico adopted number german u christmas tradition christmas tree originally imported mexico expatriate community since become popular mexican population often placed traditional nativity scene christmas tree become common household income rise tree price fall artificial tree easily available store like walmart costco local mexican chain store live tree also common christmas tree production mexico large industry lessfortunate family cannot afford live tree often seek small artificial tree branch shrub mexico hosted world largest christmas tree according guinness meter approximately foot high weighing staggering ton glorieta de la palma paseo de la reforma santa claus depicted traditional red winter clothing appears well christmas day uncommon see stand santa claus parent take advantage opportunity take memorable picture kid christmas day stand one wise men many child get present santa claus wise men although tend get wise men three public christmas celebration mix mexican foreign tradition mexico city sponsor christmas season display city main square zocalo complete towering christmas tree ice rink nativity scene placed along paseo de la reforma christmas common hear traditional contemporary christmas music traditional music includes villancicos akin christmas carol popular song including los pastores belén riu riu chiu el lobo rabioso los peces en el río contemporary music includes spanish cover foreign music jingle bell traditional important navidad decoration nativity scene generally set december left display february found home church nativity scene introduced mexico early colonial period first mexican monk taught indigenous people carve figure basic setup similar part world focus holy family surrounded angel shepherd animal figure sheltered portal take shape cave stone house cabin scene star often led light since colonial period mexican touch introduced starting use spanish moss covering base scene missing figure child jesus christmas eve although figure generally proportional rest scene figure jesus much larger – almost lifesized baby figure central nativity scene also important tradition bringing figure church february blessed traditional figure made ceramic plaster one traditional area produce ceramic figure nativity scene guadalajara area especially town tonalá tlaquepaque late november december tonalá market dozen stall sell nothing supply nativity scene addition usual figure mexican nativity scene number several unique one include native mexican plant animal nopal cactus turkey woman making tortilla fish river reference popular mexican carol crowing rooster reference christmas eve even image lucifer hide shadow reference pastorelas nativity scene found size complexity largescale nativity scene quite elaborate multiple landscape even entire village usually start base sturdy brown paper crumpled simulate landscape sometimes support multitiered base base moss sawdust sand colored paper paint used recreate desert grassland river lake wide variety structure figure placed include house church well vendor cart fruit vegetable playing child musician dancer cooking food surrounding center holy family nativity scene main church chapala featured imagery world including wooden shoe igloo figure represent african exotic animal pastorela roughly mean shepherd play theatrical work performed amateur professional group christmas season first pastorela new world occurred early establishment early spanish mission origin unknown orally passed spain europe medieval period spanish settled along san antonio river established mission forcing native american inhabitant new settlement adjacent church original purpose performance aid catholic conversion native american soon afterward spanish military settlement established across river group spanish colonist canary island settled near two community also along river three community formed known area san antonio time three social class across san antonio region elite spanish settler middleclass mexican family poor mexican worker emergence social class vital understanding pastorale tradition took place around time arrival white settler possessed ideal manifest destiny originally descended medieval spain play performed entirely spanish mids translator used performance los pastores made way texas least one hundred twentyfive copy play relating christ nativity discovered american southwest mexico originally developed didactic tool teach christmas story los pastores considered nativity play performed christmas eve since first recorded performance play shepherd meet michael archangel first time begin journey meet jesus along way encounter hermit comedic character play often carry cross made corn cob constantly tease audience shepherd hermit fall asleep tempted devil also known luzbel demon eventually try lure hell instead baby jesus shepherd unable see devil hermit carry rosary allows see archangel challenge devil defeating driving back inferno shepherd finally reach jesus congregation join hymn praise birth jesus rehearsal process play consistent time participant spent sharing story making memory important aspect putting show final product production seen great importance community professional production main focus simply community come together tell story jesus script play often improvised actor varies immensely include element joke jeer slang song bawdy humor discussion cigarette tequila even prostitute mostly focusing interaction struggle satan trick traditional play found rural area variation exist focus mary joseph travel bethlehem battle archangel michael devil registering authority also contain feminist theme christmas season begin celebration honor virgin guadalupe mexico patron saint december nineday novena begin honor virgin guadalupe end feast day december important event related time pilgrimage basilica north mexico city people coming pay respect mean transportation airplane bicycle walking pilgrimage undertaken large number mexican catholic regardless race class example every year hundred member japanese mexican community mainly catholic make pilgrimage kimono area around basilica begin crowd light firework indigenous people dancing around dusk december go night next day image virgin mary honored mexico various way city oaxaca main event parque llano december small boy dressed juan diego church blessed early morning hour th shrine resounds singing la mañanitas virgin mary midnight concert feature many mexican singer mass held basilica also community parish within mexico december series procession party called la posadas word inn many child anticipated part christmas season tradition begun spanish evangelist teach christmas story indigenous people ostensibly supplant ritual related birth god huitzilopochtli today usually performed rural area lowerclass neighborhood city first part consists procession traditional version involves heading dark nine evening local church girl boy chosen play mary joseph costume sometimes mary riding donkey rest procession carry candle paper lantern andor decorated stave often empty manger one dressed mary joseph procession generally carry nativity scene la posadas generally serf way maintain community bond neighborhood one variation procession arrives house divide two one half remains outside sings traditional song ask shelter sings response inside ritual end everyone inside variation procession go three house singing two reject party third house accepts piñata started medium evangelist used teach christian belief native traditional starshaped piñata broken child posadas like procession mexican piñata symbolic didactic meaning vessel represents satan good world decorated attract people traditionally seven point represent seven cardinal sin stick represents christian faith defeat evil release treasure piñatas meal usually includes tamale atole buñuelos hot drink called ponche made seasonal fruit tejocote guava plum mandarin orange orange andor prune sweetened piloncillo kind brown sugar spiced cinnamon vanilla adult rum tequila may added ponche recipe vary greatly mexico colima version usually includes milk sugar orange leaf vanilla grated coconut end posada guest receive small gift called aguinaldo usually package cooky dried fresh fruit candy carol called villancicos sung old tradition song sung nativity scene includes newborn child jesus last posada early christmas eve follows latenight mass called mass rooster originated six year arrival spanish father pedro de gante began celebration christmas latenight mass name come tradition birth christ announced crowing rooster celebration became popular among newly converted indigenous people included element old celebration aztec deity huitzilopochtli firework torch sparkler play along food dancing following mass traditional midnight feast traditional dish include bacalao reconstituted dried cod cooked onion tomato sauce olive another revoltijo de romerito green mole pepita sauce potato often dried shrimp luxurious item menu used suckling pig mostly replaced turkey ham dinner adult drink ponche cider child play sparkler called luce de belén bethlehem light christmas present usually opened stroke midnight rest christmas day quiet mexico family recuperate festivity night often eating leftover midnight dinner december mexico version april fool day called los santos inocentes sainted innocent originally called los santos inocentes commemorate infant killed king herod avoid arrival christ also said day one must borrow item return th century elaborate rus would concocted get gullible lend thing day successful victorious prankster would send note lender gift sweet small toy memory child killed herod note saying innocent little dove allowed deceived knowing day nothing lent developed day prank general even includes newspaper printing false wild story day also celebrated online recent year new year eve fall time well celebrated much like rest world exception one notable tradition eating twelve grape rapidly along twelve chime clock midnight tradition shared latin country bring luck month coming year firework common rural area festivity may also include shot fired air part veracruz december reserved honor elderly men fiesta del hombre viejo next major event christmas season epiphany called día de los tres reyes magos three king day day celebrates three wise men arrived visit child jesus bearing gift night january child traditionally leave shoe doorway wise men enter although done part mexico another variation sending note helium balloon sky inside thoughtful note explaining good bad year gift would like deemed worthy morning opening present round sweet bread called rosca served baked dried fruit tiny image infant jesus inside whoever get one figure slice must pay tamale candlemas february rosca served tamale atole candlemas celebrated february commemorates presentation child jesus temple day people bring image child jesus blessed elaborately dressed traditionally christening gown many costume since appeared well afterwards tamale atole shared purchased people found miniature jesus image january various regional christmas season tradition alvarado tlacotalpan fiesta negrohispana celebration african identity mexico run december th oaxaca major event feast day patroness state virgin solitude december honored precession called calendas allegorical float costume traditional food called buñuelos fried pastry covered sugar coastal area image often brought shore boat accompanied boat brass band city oaxaca december unique event called la noche de los rabanos night radish oversized radish carved elaborate figure originally nativity scene today major competition vegetable carved kind figure xochimilco borough mexico city january important day best known child jesus image niñopa change host family take care yearold image year nativitas section borough parade wise men sometimes real camel culture mexico religion mexico public holiday mexico mexican christmas dish