What To Expect In Mexico During The Christmas Season

Traveling during the holidays is a great way to get to know a country on a cultural level. In Mexico, Christmas is one of the biggest celebrations in the country and it does not disappoint. Here are some things to look forward to when making your way around Mexico in December and January.

It all starts on December 3 with a nine-day celebration of Mexico's patron saint, the Virgin de Guadalupe (Virgin Mary). What begins with daily prayers and religious acts on the eve of December 11^th, erupts into a massive party with fireworks and ends with a feast on December 12^th. During this time many people make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe in northern Mexico City to show their devotion.

By December 14, many houses and public spaces set their nativity scenes. The displays lead to Las Posadas, or the reenactment of two children dressed as Mary and Joseph making their way from door to door asking if there is room. This ends in festivities with pinatas, tamales (a traditional Mexican dish), and buñuelos (a traditional Mexican fried dough ball/disk covered in sweets).

On Christmas Eve, people make their way along thousands of luminarias (paper bags filled with sand and candles) to their nearest church for their late night mass, or La Misa Del Gallo (The Mass of the Rooster). Celebrations ensue with a midnight feast with food, drinks, sparklers, and fun. Christmas Day is a lot more toned down as people recover from the previous night’s festivities.

The big day for presents isn’t Christmas Eve with Santa Claus but Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) on January 6. Celebrated during the time that the Three Wise Men reached Bethlehem with gifts, this is when kids normally get their boon of presents, brought personally by the three kings. It isn’t to say that Santa Claus is not celebrated (some families celebrate both), however the Three Kings Day is more widely celebrated throughout the country.

The window of opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of the elaborate Christmas celebrations is wide. Experiencing a Mexican Christmas will not only make you more intimately familiar with the cultural celebrations of the country, but will also provide you a unique and memorable holiday season.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.