Published on November 30, 2025

Christmas is coming!

After all the activities in October and the Day of the Dead, November is a month to relax and prepare for… December!

And yes, the whole world knows that December is the month of Christmas and New Year’s, but not everyone knows that in this month, Mexicans have the greatest number of celebrations within a very special period of time. And, as we say in Mexico, this period even has "a first and last name": Guadalupe – Reyes.

Guadalupe – Reyes is a series of consecutive festive days that start on December 12th and end on January 6th. During this time, Mexicans celebrate, feast, and toast in honor of various saints, holidays, and traditions. Even though these festivities come from the Catholic religion and have foreign origins (they are not Aztec traditions), they give us a unique cultural identity. Here is a breakdown of the main celebrations:

– Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12th

On this day, in a building called the Basilica of Guadalupe (in the northern part of Mexico City), Catholic devotees from all over the country come to thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for the favors she granted them during the year. In the days leading up to this date, you’ll see many caravans (also called pilgrimages) heading to the church, where there is said to be an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe made miraculously by the Virgin Mary herself.

Although it is not technically a public holiday, many churches and believers set off fireworks, and for one night you can hear constant explosions announcing that it is… the Virgin of Guadalupe’s birthday!

– Posadas, December 16th – 24th

Posadas are well known around the world, but also often mistaken for regular Mexican parties. What do we mean? Have you ever seen an image of Mexicans breaking a piñata while clapping and drinking ponche? That’s a posada! And it includes three essential elements:

1. A piñata, which must have seven cone shaped points representing the seven deadly sins. Breaking the piñata symbolizes rejecting those sins.
2. Litanies, songs representing Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter while being pursued by soldiers. One group sings outside a house asking to enter, while another sings inside, refusing to let them in.
3. Food, because no Mexican celebration is complete without it dishes like tamales, pambazos, quesadillas, tacos dorados, and more.
4. Ponche, the quintessential Mexican Christmas drink. It’s made by boiling water with fruits like sugar cane, apples, guavas, tejocote, raisins, tamarind, cinnamon, and even hibiscus flower, all sweetened with sugar or piloncillo. (Sometimes we add a little “piquete” but we’ll let you discover that part yourself!)

Posadas are usually organized among neighbors or groups of friends.

– Christmas Eve (Nochebuena), December 24th

Christmas Eve? Nope, It’s Nochebuena! In Mexico, the night of December 24th is not called Christmas; it’s simply “Nochebuena”… and that’s the only difference, haha. Traditionally, families gather to eat, celebrate, and enjoy Christmas while having dishes such as turkey, pork loin, bacalao, romeritos, or apple salad.

– New Year’s Eve, December 31st

Although there isn’t a strictly traditional Mexican way to celebrate New Year’s, it’s commonly treated as a second Nochebuena, so everything done on December 24th is repeated but with two subtle additions: grapes and apple cider.

• The 12 grapes: At midnight, church bells ring 12 times (for the 12 months of the year), and Mexicans eat 12 grapes, making one wish for each month. If you don’t eat all 12, your wishes won’t come true.
• Apple cider: While not a rule, apple cider is more commonly enjoyed on New Year’s than on Christmas Eve.

– Three Kings’ Day, January 6th

Finally, the last day of this marathon of festivities. On this night, the Three Wise Men (yes, the same ones who brought gifts to baby Jesus) visit the homes of Mexican children and bring them gifts such as toys, clothes, board games, video games, and more. On the morning of January 7th, children wake up and open the presents these magical visitors left for them.

Some families also prepare a special dinner that includes cutting a traditional sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes. Inside the bread, you may find small baby figurines which mean that you’ll be responsible for providing tamales one month later... but we’ll save that tradition for another article.

And that’s it for now (in a very summarized form!). There is still so much more to talk about, activities to explore, places to visit, and dishes to try but to keep this from getting too long, we’ll stop here.

And remember! If you want to enjoy all the Christmas traditions Mexico has to offer, speaking Spanish not only enriches the experience but completes it. Check out our courses and groups to make the most of your stay in this beautiful country!