Christmas in Mexico

Christmas traditions incorporate remnants of indigenous practices, customs from Spain, novel Mexican inventions from the colonial period, and later elements from the United States and Germany.

Stalls are dedicated to selling gifts and decorations including traditional poinsettias and nativity scenes, as well as Christmas trees, ornaments, electric lights, and reindeer figures.

[1] Starting in Decembre, residential units, homes, and buildings are decorated with poinsettias named "Noche Buena" (from the Spanish phrase that means "good night" referring to Christmas Eve).

[4] A modern Mexican legend says that the poinsettia was once a weed that miraculously turned into a beautiful flower so that a child could present it to the infant Jesus.

[2] Christmas trees were originally imported into Mexico for the expatriate community, but have since become more popular with the Mexican population, often placed with more traditional nativity scenes.

Nativity scenes were introduced to Mexico in the early colonial period when the first Mexican monks taught the Indigenous people to carve the figures.

[4][6] The basic setup is similar to those in other parts of the world, with a focus on the Holy Family, surrounded by angels, shepherds, and animals.

[4][6] Over these, a wide variety of structures and figures are placed that can include houses, churches, wells, vendors with carts of fruits and vegetables, playing children, musicians, dancers, cooking food, and more, all surrounding the center, in which is the Holy Family.

The nativity scene of the main church in Chapala has featured imagery from all over the world including wooden shoes, an igloo, figures to represent Africans, and exotic animals.

[4] Pastorela, which roughly means "shepherds' plays", are theatrical works performed by both amateur and professional groups during the Christmas season.

In 1718, the Spanish settled along the San Antonio River and established a mission, forcing Native American inhabitants into new settlements adjacent to the church.

[13] The emergence of social classes is vital to understanding the Pastorales tradition; it took place around the time of the arrival of white settlers who possessed the ideal of manifest destiny.

The shepherds and hermit fall asleep and are tempted by the Devil, also known as Luzbel, and his demons, who eventually try to lure him to Hell instead of to baby Jesus.

[17] The rehearsal process for this play was not consistent; the time participants spent sharing stories and making memories was the most important aspect of putting on these shows.

It can include elements such as jokes, jeers, slang, songs, bawdy humor, discussions, cigarettes, tequila, and even prostitutes, mostly focusing on the interaction with and struggle against Satan and his tricks.

Variations exist, from a focus on Mary and Joseph's travel to Bethlehem, battles between the Archangel Michael and the Devil, and registering with authorities.

[4] The most important event related to this time is the pilgrimage to her basilica in the north of Mexico City, with people coming to pay respects by all means of transportation, from airplanes to bicycles to walking.

[20] The area in and around the basilica begins to crowd with lights, fireworks, and Indigenous people dancing around dusk on December 11 and goes on all night and into the next day.

In the city of Oaxaca, the main event is at Parque Llano on December 11, with small boys dressed as Juan Diego at the church to be blessed.

In the very early morning hours of the 12th, the shrine resounds with the singing of Las Mañanitas to the Virgin Mary in a midnight concert, which features many Mexican singers.

[4][5] The tradition was begun by Spanish evangelists to teach the Christmas story to the Indigenous people and ostensibly to supplant the rituals related to the birth of the god Huitzilopochtli.

[10] At the end of a posada, guests receive a small gift called an aguinaldo, usually a package with cookies, dried and fresh fruit, and candy.

[6] It originated about six years after the arrival of the Spanish when Father Pedro de Gante began a celebration of Christmas with a late-night Mass.

Traditional dishes include bacalao, reconstituted dried cod cooked with onions, tomato sauce, olives, and more.

After dinner, adults drink ponche or cider and children play with sparklers, called Luces de Belén (Bethlehem lights).

The rest of Christmas Day is quiet in Mexico as families recuperate from the festivities of the night before, often eating leftovers from the midnight dinner.

[4][6] December 28 is Mexico's version of April Fools' Day, called Los Santos Inocentes (The Sainted Innocents).

It was originally called Los Santos Inocentes to commemorate the infants killed by King Herod to avoid the arrival of Christ.

[1] The next major event in the Christmas season is Epiphany called Día de los Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings' Day).

[1] In the city of Oaxaca, on December 23, there is a unique event called La Noche de los Rabanos (Night of the Radishes).