Mexican Christmas Traditions Checklist: What Do You Do?
Mexican Christmas Traditions Checklist: What Do You Do?
Now is the season for posadas, villancicos, and tamales. It’s Christmastime! Mexicans know what I mean! If not, no worries! Our “Mexican Christmas Checklist” will introduce you to Mexican Christmas traditions, music, and food.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Match Your Family’s Activities with Mexican Holiday Traditions?
Attend Christmas Eve Mass → Va a la misa de Nochebuena.
Mexican Christmas customs emphasizes mass, or misa. Mass is a great way to get dressed up, celebrate with family, and glorify Jesus (alabanza) as most Mexicans are Catholic!
- Eating at Grandma’s House → At the grandmother’s house.
Christmas dinner is at Abuela’s. Generations gather to await their food coma.
- Sing “Las posadas” checklist You must sing them.
Las posadas, or “The inns”, is a 9-day Mexican custom that commemorates Joseph and Mary’s search for a secure spot to give birth to Jesus. Hardcore Christmas families will host parties every night from December 16th to 24th in different homes.
Traditionally, guests sang to “ask for a place to stay” (pedirposadas) and invite hosts in. Traditional “posadas” food and piñatas are provided by uncles and aunts for children and adults.
- Break a Christmas piñata → Rompe una navideña.
Did I mention piñatas? A Mexican party is incomplete without a piñata. Christmas piñatas are star-shaped and stocked with candy and toys for youngsters to enjoy.
Mexican Christmas Traditions
- Sing lullabies to “The Child God” → Arrullas al Niño Dios.
Is your abuela Mexican if her house doesn’t have a Nativity scene? This is vital! Mexican homes often have miniature or life-size nativity scenes depicting Mary and Joseph’s stable. The family sings lullabies to Jesus while rocking him in a manta, thanking and welcoming him to the world. Whole Christmas production!
Exchange is called intercambio. Everyone anonymously chooses a family member to buy a gift before Christmas. Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is when everyone opens their gifts!
Consume Tamales Constantly → Tamales sin parar.
Christmas Eve is for tamale lovers! There is plenty of good food, but the tamales, a Mesoamerican dish of dough steamed in a corn husk, often steal the show.
Pork and salsa roja tamales
Cheese-and-salsa verde tamales
Sweet pineapple, guava, or chocolate tamales
Tamale mole (hot sauce with Mexican curry, cacau)
- Food on Christmas Day: Leftovers Recalenta 25.
Mexicans call the 25th national leftovers (recalentado) day. The family reunites for eating, singing, and more eating.
- You listen to Christmas music all month → Escucha villancicos.
Mexican Christmas songs are villancicos. These top Christmas oldies will be played!
Feliz Navidad with Spotify: Mexican Christmas Music
Sabanero Burrito
About Campana
Rio’s Peces
El Nino Nacido
Night of Peace
Path to Belen
Vamos Pastores Vamos
Enjoy a Mexican Christmas this holiday season!
You did well on the checklist? If your family does something not included, tell us! Share in the comments.
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