Mexican Traditions in December



The journey to Christmas Eve and beyond is a long one in Mexico. And the festivities begin almost a month earlier with the preparation of beautiful traditions. Here I will mention very briefly a few of them.

The Posadas.

These festivities are held during the nine days before Christmas which, according to religious tradition, represent the period when Mary and Joseph were seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus.

In commemoration of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, guests sing Christmas carols and the litany to the Virgin Mary. Children and adults alike, carrying candles and representations of Joseph, Mary, the angel and even the little donkey, visit neighbours and ask for posada (shelter). At the end of the journey, the piñata, stuffed with candy and fruit, is broken.



The piñata is an essential part of Mexican parties during the Christmas season. Although it is difficult to track its precise origin and meaning, in his book Mexican Traditions, Sebastian Verti highlights its pre-Hispanic and European roots, whereby the struggle of good against evil is implicitly present.

The Pastorelas

Together with the posadas, they constitute the prelude of Christmas in Mexico. The pastorela refers to events prior to the birth of Jesus and culminates with the splendour of the manger and the shepherds' worship. The pastorela, as a scenic and literary genre, had its roots in 16th century Spanish religious theatre, and was later adapted by missionaries as an instrument to evangelise the natives of America.



The pastorelas are humorous and joyful, with an innocent, country style, where even Lucifer and his court of "little devils" appear with naïve wickedness. They seek to awaken noble feelings of love towards our fellow men, as well as universal fraternity.



El Nacimiento
One of the many traditions a family holds in Mexico is the yearly ritual of adorning the home with a "Nacimiento". A Nacimiento is a set consisting of model images of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the Three Kings, Gabriel, shepherds, and assorted animals. The purpose of this is to show respect towards Jesus.

According to Mexican history, the founder of this tradition was Francisco de Asis during 1200-1226 A.D. The tradition was further popularized with Carlos III's order to extend this act in all of Italy and Spain. It was brought to Mexico by Fray Pedro de Gante.

Since then, churches throughout Mexico make it a point to place a Nacimiento in the church during Navidad. Not only to churches do this, but homes as well.

Nacimientos come in every shape and color. Although the miniature versions are more popular, larger ones are also quite beautiful. Because each region in Mexico specializes in a certain kind of metal, a Nacimiento can vary from state to state. Whether they be made out of clay, wood, steel, iron, or plastic, all Nacimientos are viewed in high esteem.

All in all, Nacimientos are the heart of the Navidad tradition. And with the many beautiful models, it is not difficult to see why.



January 6. The Three Wise Men
(Día de Reyes)


Every year, children gather at the Alameda Central Park in Mexico City to visit the Three Magi and hand-deliver letters with their wishes, as they are supposed to bring toys on January 6. This tradition evokes the Three Wise Men who came from the East and, following the star of Bethlehem, reached the Christ Child and presented him with gold, incense and myrrh.

The traditional Epiphany supper of ring-shaped cake with hot chocolate came from Spain to Mexico during the early years of the viceregal reign.

It is decorated with sugar and dry fruit such as figs, quince, cherries, which improve its flavour and embellish it. A tiny figure representing Christ Child is hidden in preparation for the cake-cutting ritual. A centuries-old tradition states that whoever finds the "Child" is spiritually obliged to present the house's Christ Child at the nearest church on February 2 (Candlemas day) and to offer a tamales-party in his honour.

On the night of January 6, as knife descends slowly, breaking the crunchy decorated crust of the King's round cake, expectation reigns among guests. Once the person cutting the slice "hits" upon the Child, there's no way out. The "lucky" one accepts with resigned laughter and the promise of fulfilling the obligation assumed.

HOME