‘Tis The Season: Celebrating Christmas in Mexico

Christmas in Mexico is no small affair. Quite on the contrary, the Mexican holiday season extends over a period of nearly a month beginning on December 12^th. Some could even say that the holiday season actually begins at the beginning of December, especially in Puerto Vallarta with the famous yearly pilgrimages or peregrinaciones.

However, to keep it short(ish) and sweet, let’s focus on the holiday season extending through from December 12^th to January 6^th. For nearly a month, the entire country enjoys festivities wide and far in celebration of Christmas and in closure of the year by sharing food, drink, laughter and convivio, or “coming together”. Around this time you are bound to see an abundance of Nativity scenes and Poinsettias, also known as flores de Nochebuena.

For the 12 days before Christmas in Mexico, families, employers and employees, groups of friends and even entire neighborhoods come together to celebrate by way of Posadas, or Mexican Christmas parties. Posadas are the perfect excuse for everyone to dress up in their snazziest and enjoy traditional Mexican food and drinks, and usually a piñata, together while reminiscing on the past year, and planning for the next.

Typically, the last posada is on Christmas Eve. Entire families and neighborhoods come together to cook a massive holiday spread, and spend the evening eating and drinking with family and friends. Ringing in Christmas Day often consists of fireworks and religious families will head to their local church to Christmas mass on Christmas morning. The rest of the day is spent with family and friends enjoying one another’s company and of course, eating and drinking.

After Christmas, on the 28^th of December, we have Día de Los Santos Inocentes. The simplest way to explain this day of mischief is essentially the Mexican equivalent of April Fool’s Day. Finally, on January 6^th we celebrate Día de Los Reyes, otherwise known as Epiphany. This day commemorates the Three Wise Kings, and children are usually the most excited to receive their most wished for gifts on this evening. Santa does also exist in Mexico – he usually visits on the night of the 23^rd or early morning of the 24th. Additionally, this January 6th is when Rosca de Reyes is shared – a sweet oval-shaped bread that is broken in groups of family and friends. Whoever finds a little baby Jesus in their piece of bread is responsible for buying or making the tamales on Calendaria on February 2nd.

All in all, the season of Christmas in Mexico is a long celebration full of colorful festivities. While enjoying mouthwatering traditional Mexican food and drinks, lots of reminiscing and laughter, fabulous Christmas posadas are celebrated by all.

Here at the Erica Maree studio, which doubles as a bohemian fashion and accessory shop in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, we believe in the value of supporting artisans whose handicrafts have been made in Mexico for generations. Each one of our pieces is created by hand with heart and soul, and provides fair labor wages for artisans in order to keep the magic of traditional Mexican hand embroidery alive.

As always, thanks for shopping handmade!