How is Christmas in Mexico Celebrated?

For many, Christmas is synonymous with snow, even if they don’t live in a cold place, but what about Christmas in Mexico? So many American Christmas carols talk about Frosty the Snowman or dreaming of a white Christmas but the only white Christmas south of the border is a white sand holiday.

Whether you live in the mountains or beaches of the United States, Christmas traditions are largely the same. It’s interesting to consider holidays around the world, like Christmas in Japan or Christmas in Australia. For the most part, everyone is laying low and celebrating around the same time. Given the traditional religious roots of the holiday, you might expect things to be largely similar around the globe.

There are plenty of Christmas traditions around the world that overlap, yet each country has its own strange and special ways to celebrate, according to Good Housekeeping. Come to think of it, you could find some incredible and enriching Christmas crafts from around the world that would broaden your worldview with just a bit of research. 

Sure, Christmas in Italy or Christmas in France might seem a lot more traditional and fairytale-esque, but what about our neighbors to the south? Mexico is so close to the United States, especially if you live in a Southern border state, so how different can it be?

Read on to discover how Christmas in Mexico is celebrated. 

 Jump to Section

• The Differences Between Christmas in Mexico and the USA
• Mexican Christmas Traditions
• Christmas Decorations in Mexico
• Festive Mexican Foods
• Where to Spend Christmas in Mexico

The Differences Between Christmas in Mexico and the USA

Given the fact that Christmas is, at its core, a religious holiday, there’s some significant overlap between Christmas in Mexico and the USA. Mexico is a largely Catholic nation and the main “event” of Christmas that’s being celebrated is the birth of Jesus Christ. However, there are plenty of notable differences between the two. 

First, Christmas in Mexico is celebrated over many days – 53 days to be exact – whereas in the United States, people celebrate over one or two days. Mexicans celebrate from December 12th to January 6th but the main celebrations take place from December 16th until the 24th. During this time, children perform “Posada” processions, representing the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and their attempt to find a place to stay before the birth of their son.

Houses are decorated with moss, lanterns and evergreens during this time and lit paper sacks are placed to light the way. Children go from home to home amongst their friends and neighbors, stopping to sing and ask for a room. After many no’s, an eventual yes welcomes them in for a posada party each night. Each posada party typically features a pinata as well. 

Regarding the 53 days previously mentioned, you may have noticed that December 12th (Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon) to January 6th (Three Kings Day) is only 26 days and you’d be correct. But on Three Kings Day, it is traditional to celebrate with a rosca de reyes cake that features a tiny plastic baby hidden in it. Whoever gets that piece must make or buy tamales on February 2nd and bring the baby from their nativity scene to the church to be blessed. This extends the holiday season by another 27 days. 

In the United States and much of the rest of the world, Christmas trees are a classic symbol of the holiday. But for Christmas in Mexico, nacimientos or nativity scenes are the true symbol of the holiday. They can feature life-size replicas and even take up an entire room in the house. Trees are gaining some popularity there, however. 

December 25th is not the main event when it comes to Christmas in Mexico. Most Mexican families gather on Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) and again on Three Kings Day, but the 25th is rather anti-climactic for them. Mexican children open their gifts on January 6th instead of the 24th or 25th like in the USA. 

The Three Kings have special power and significance. If you don’t recall, the Three Kings (also known as the Three Wise Men) visit newborn baby Jesus to bring gifts. Two out of the three are thought of as lousy gift givers, so Mexican children write them shopping lists, which they tie to helium balloons and let fly. The reasoning behind this is somewhat unclear. 

Mexican Christmas Traditions

The nine-day tradition of posadas or caroling and requesting a place to stay has already been covered above but is an important part of the holiday. Christmas in Mexico also consists of a day that’s not all too different from April Fool’s Day.

On December 28th they celebrate Día de los Inocentes, which commemorates the day that King Herod called for the slaughtering of all baby boys in the Greater Bethlehem area. The jump from that to a day of pranks is… puzzling, but the Spanish word for innocent and naive is the same, so perhaps that’s a good place to start. 

Dia de la Candelaria is the end of Christmas in Mexico and it’s when the family that found the plastic baby Jesus hosts everyone for tamales in their home. They also take their Christ figurines to their local church for it to be blessed. 

Pastorelas are another important aspect of Christmas in Mexico. These theatrical productions are about the shepherds on their journey to find Mary, Joseph and Jesus. This Mexican Christmas tradition involves characters encountering obstacles that try to influence their path, such as angels and demons. 

Noche Buena is not only a Mexican Christmas tradition but in some ways a worldwide tradition. Christmas Eve is a time for great feasts and celebrations with friends and loved ones. Midnight mass is another tradition unique to Mexico. Some kids also receive gifts, though it’s also common that they aren’t received until January 6th. 

Christmas Decorations in Mexico

As previously covered, nacimientos are the main decoration and symbol of the season in Mexico. According to an expat’s reports, there is no wrong way to do this. While the USA typically features similar iterations of the farm animals, babies and other adults present, in Mexico, you might see the Christ Child attended to by a zebra or alligator just as commonly as some traditionally dressed Mexican figurines. It’s really the thought that counts here. 

Poinsettias, also known as the Christmas Eve Flower, are commonplace across the United States and much of the world but they’re native to Mexico. There’s a detailed and somewhat interesting history of the flower, its breeding and how it got its name, but suffice it to say it’s loosely a symbol of U.S.-Mexico relations over more than 200 years. 

Festive Mexican Foods

There are a few Mexican dishes that are traditionally eaten around the holidays, though they might be a normal Friday night dinner for Americans. Ponche or punch is served, with this version containing guava, tejocote, plums, sugar and cinnamon with alcohol. In this instance, Christmas in Mexico is very similar to other countries. This is just like Christmas in Germany where they drink glühwein or in Sweden where gløgg is the drink of the holidays. 

Pozole is a classic Mexican stew that is often served around the holidays. Made with hominy and meat, it features fresh flavor from lime, cilantro and radish. 

Buñuelos are like Mexican donuts with a consistency that’s light and fluffy like funnel cakes and they’re topped with cinnamon sugar. 

The Rosca de Reyes (referencing the Three Wise Men) that was previously mentioned is a large donut-shaped cake topped with fruit that’s eaten for breakfast or dessert. One slice gets a hidden plastic baby Jesus which sets off the second half of the Christmas in Mexico celebration. 

Tamales are a celebratory dish, not just for Christmas. They can be filled with a variety of stewed or braised meats and veggies all contained in a soft masa dough carefully prepared in a banana leaf or corn husk. 

Where to Spend Christmas in Mexico

As a visitor coming to Mexico, it really is up to you which part of the country you want to experience. The beach-side resorts always welcome tourists with more traditional decor including trees and Santa hats. But if you venture more inland, you’re more likely to find a more traditional Christmas in Mexico celebration.

In popular tourist destinations like Riviera Maya, Cancun or Cabo San Lucas, the weather is balmy and sunny this time of year, making it a welcome respite for visitors from the North. Stroll along the beach or in the nearest town to scout unique Christmas gifts to bring back home. Although, a trip to Mexico in December sounds like a pretty great Christmas gift for teens and the whole family. 

You might be surprised to find the similarities between Christmas in Mexico and your own Christmas celebration. The nation of Mexico is known for being devoutly Catholic and while the reason for the season tends to get lost, their traditions are very tied to the religious importance of the day.

Some find that Christmas comes and goes too quickly, so the Mexican Christmas traditions that span 53 days might sound exciting and perfect for prolonging the fun!

For even more fun Christmas ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!