The winter months are a time of back-to-back celebration and festivities in Mexico. After November 1st and Dia de los Muertos, it’s a non-stop whirlwind of holiday cheer south of the border! Christmas celebrations in Mexico are a totally different experience than what Americans are used to. 

Here are the upcoming traditional Mexican holidays that will be celebrated during the Christmas season. 

Virgen de Guadalupe

On December 12th, The Feast Of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated with a mass traditionally featuring a mariachi band. This is a rich celebration of one of the most beloved figures in Mexican culture. 

In 1531 a “Lady from Heaven” materialized before a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. Proclaiming herself the Mother of Christ, she instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site. As she vanished, she left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth. This tilma, which should have deteriorated quickly, is still intact and shows no signs of decay an amazing 469 years later. 

Her message of love and compassion, and her universal pledge of love, devotion, and protection to all mankind is a cornerstone of Mexican culture and belief.

Las Posadas

Las Posadas takes place on December 16th and marks the beginning of Christmas festivities in Mexico! For the next nine days, families will re-enact the journey of Joseph and the pregnant Virgin Mary as they seek a resting place in Bethlehem. 

A candlelight procession of eager participants dressed as angels, the Three Wise Men, and shepherds will re-enact the exciting journey leading to the birth of Christ. Along the way are festive parties and breaking of pinatas aplenty!  

Noche Buena

The festivities of Las Posadas will cumulate on the evening of December 24th with Noche Buena. A midnight mass called Misa de Gallo is held to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary. After mass, families hold a traditional Christmas supper in their homes. 

After supper, there is an opening of gifts among the family members. The children will have the traditional chance at breaking a piñata and possibly even luces de Belén (sparklers). These Christmas celebrations can last through the night and until dawn. For this reason, December 25th is typically a day of rest.

Dia de los Reyes

January 6th is Dia de los Reyes, or Three Kings Day. Also known as Epiphany, this festival portrays the Three Wise Men bearing gifts for Baby Jesus and their arrival in Bethlehem. This is the day anxiously awaited by children all across Mexico; the day they get to open their special gifts!

One of the special treats served on Three Kings Day is the Rosca de Reyes, sweetbread in the shape of a crown and decorated with candied fruits. Tiny plastic figures of babies are hidden in the dough before baking and whomever gets the piece with the baby is the lucky one who will host the gathering for Candlemas on February 2nd. Candlemas is the festival that marks the official end of Mexico’s holiday season.

Life Is A Fiesta At The Plaza Restaurant & Bar

Our specialty here at The Plaza Restaurant & Bar is serving authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes that the whole family will love. Please check out our Locations so that you can find a restaurant near you. You can also take a look at our Menu to see the many different dishes we love to prepare for our guests. The Plaza Restaurant has been serving our guests since 1982 as a family owned and operated businesses. When you dine with us, you’re family!