Feliz Navidad! World Christmas Traditions brings you to Mexico. Christmas in Mexico is focused more on the Nativity and the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Christmas in Mexico starts nine days before December 24 called the Novena. The night of Christmas Eve is called Noche Buena or Holy Night. Many of the Christmas Traditions of Mexico has its roots coming from Spain.
In most Mexican neighborhoods, the journey of Mary and Joseph in looking for lodging, are often re enacted. It is called Los Peregrinos , San Jose’y La Virgen Maria. It is also known as the Posada. The re enactments usually starts on December 16 and ends at December 24, the Noche Buena. During the re enactment, the Perignos will knock at 3 houses but only the third house would give them shelter for the night.
For most Mexican kids, Christmas time is the time to play the Piñata. The Piñata is a Mexican tradition in where a clay pot is filled with lots of candies and decorated with colorful paper. The pot will be then be tie on a rope, and a line of blind folded kids will attempt to break the Piñata by smashing it with a stick.
By December 24, Mexicans go to mass by midnight called Misa de Noche Buena. By the end of the Mass, everyone goes straight to their homes and places the Child Jesus in their Nacimientos or Nativity Scene. Mexicans also go to the Misa de Gallo or Rooster Mass on New Year’s Eve.
Mexican children will be given their Christmas gifts come January 6 which is called “El dia de Reyes” or the Day of the 3 Kings. It was said that the 3 Kings gave the Child Jesus gifts, and the tradition of gift giving during the Christmas season was born.While the children plays, Mexican adults enjoy a native Mexican drink called Ponche con Piquete. It is a hot alcoholic beverage made up with fruit juice, cinnamon sticks and a shot of alcohol spirit.
There are also a lot of popular Mexican Christmas Carols or Villancicos. There are even some Villancicos that are translated from some popular English Christmas Carols such as Noche de Paz, a Mexican version of Silent Night. There are also many original Mexican Christmas songs such as Las Campanas de Belen or Bethlehem’s Bells and Los Peces en el Rio or The Fishes in the River.
February 2 is the Last day of the Christmas Season in Mexico. It is the Day of the Candle or El dia de la Candelaria. Mexicans goes to Church for blessings and go directly to their houses and celebrate the event by eating the Tamales.