Please read through the following websites/blogs/resources:

A few things to note:

• This research is a basic summary for each;

• After going through this document, it does NOT mean you're an expert on Mexican holidays, traditions, or celebrations;

• These Holidays and celebrations are celebrated in Mexico;

• Some of these celebrations may also be celebrated in the US but are not necessarily a holiday/celebration held everywhere in the US or by the general US population;

• The links provided below may pop up in Spanish but you can click on the translation part that google offers so that you can read it in English;

• Some of the holidays/celebrations in Mexico. (Click on the list of holidays section);

• Lastly, these are the dates of some Mexican holidays/celebrations.

México’s Rich Festivities

México is a country rich in heritage and traditions. Thus, it is no wonder that Mexicans celebrate a wide array of holidays over the course of the year. Given the predominance of the Catholic faith in the country, many celebrations are religious in nature, with large-scale festivities taking place around Christmas, Easter, and other occasions in the Christian calendar. However, México also has many festivities which are unique to the country, including Día de Muertos, as well as civic and statutory holidays. Listed below are the diverse holidays that take place in México year-round.

Fechas que dependen de Pascua (Dates that depend on Easter)

• Semana Santa

  • Holy Week

    • Holy Week is a Catholic tradition, commemorating the days leading up to Easter Sunday. In México, the most important days in this week-long holiday are Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Mexicans observe Maundy Thursday by participating in a ceremony known as the Visit of the Seven Houses, which commemorates the various stops Jesus made before being taken to his death. This involves visiting and praying in seven different churches throughout the day. This can be done alone, or by joining in various processions taking place in major cities.

• • • • Meanwhile, Good Friday in México is marked by processions and special prayer services in Church. Recreations of Jesus’ death and Passion plays are also a popular way to commemorate Good Friday, with some being extremely elaborate and realistic, drawing crowds of thousands. One of the most famous recreations takes place in Iztapalapa, México City, which attracts not only locals, but dozens of visitors and tourists too.

• Jueves Santo

  • Holy Thursday

    • The Day of Holy Thursday

• Viernes Santo

  • Good Friday

    • The Day of Good Friday

• Domingo de Resurrección

  • Easter Sunday

    • Resurrection or Easter Sunday

Fechas que se recorren al Lunes (Dates that land on a specific Monday)

• Día de la Constitución Mexicana (Feb 5, 1917—or first Monday of the month)

  • Mexican Constitution Day

    • Day of the Mexican Constitution

    • Constitution Day is a statutory holiday which celebrates the signing of the Mexican Constitution, which took place on February 5^th, 1917. The Constitution was drafted upon the end of México’s Revolution and served as the basis for the modern Mexican State. It is the third Constitution that México has had as an independent country and is still in use to this day. The Constitution establishes México as a democratic country with separation of powers and a federalist form of government. It also enshrines individual rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

• Natalicio de Benito Juárez

  • Benito Juárez’s Birth (Mar 21, 1806, but typically celebrated on the 3^rd Monday of March)

    • Birth of Benito Juárez

    • This day is a statutory holiday honoring the life of Benito Juárez, one of México’s most beloved Presidents. Juárez was in power from 1858 to 1872 and is noted for drafting the 1857 Constitution, which introduced the separation of Church and State, as well as freedom of religion, to the country. He also fought off against French forces, who attempted to invade the country a second time, ruling in exile after Napoleon III occupied the country and installed Maximilian of Austria as a puppet ruler, with the support of Monarchist and conservative groups within México. Juárez proved successful against this threat and re-established México as a sovereign democracy.

• Revolución Mexicana (Nov, 3rd Monday)

  • Mexican Revolution Day

    • Mexican Revolution—November 20, 1910

    • This statutory holiday commemorates the Mexican Revolution, which took place between 1910 and 1917. The Revolution was the birth of the modern Mexican State, beginning with the overthrow of Porfirio Díaz, and ending with the establishment of a new constitution, which is still used today. México’s politics, arts, culture, and system of government were all deeply shaped by the Revolution, which has been immortalized in everything from Diego Rivera’s murals to a popular song genre known as corridos, to the films of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema to some of México’s best novels, such as Los de Abajo and Pedro Páramo.

Fechas Fijas (Dates that land on a specific day)

• La Noche Vieja (Dec 31)

  • New Year’s Eve

    • Things the only Mexicans do on New Year’s Eve

    • 9 Mexican New Year Traditions (these are the most common)

    • Like in many countries, New Year’s Eve is usually marked by a large family dinner. This dinner will usually be accompanied by several unique customs. The main one is to eat twelve grapes during the last twelve seconds of the year, and make a wish for each grape consumed. Other popular customs include eating rice and lentils for abundance and getting rid of the old and in with the new.

• Año Nuevo (January 1)

  • New Year Day

    • Party all day, a continuation of la Noche Vieja, but on a new day/new year. Considered the 1^st big party of the year. (One of the loudest days of the year in México.)

• Día de los Reyes Magos (Jan 6)

  • 3 Kings Day

    • How is 3 Kings Day celebrated in México?

    • Three Wise Men: This is how tradition is lived in México

    • What is Rosca de Reyes and why is it eaten on Jan. 6

  • This Catholic festivity is celebrated across the Spanish-speaking world. On this holiday, families celebrate the Three Kings who brought gifts to Jesus on his birth by giving gifts to children on the eve of the 5^th of January. (This is similar to the custom of Santa Claus in many parts of the Western world.) A traditional food for the holiday is the Rosca de Reyes, a sweet round bread with a hole in its center, covered in sugar and dried fruits, often accompanied with a warm cup of cocoa. Inside the Rosca are plastic figures of the Baby Jesus. It has become customary for the person who finds the Baby in their Rosca to then host the meal on February 2^nd.

• Día de Candelaria (Feb 2)

  • Candeleria Day

    • Candelaria is a religious festivity in the Catholic tradition, celebrating the presentation of the Baby Jesus before the Temple in Jerusalem, though in México, it has also taken elements from Pre-Columbian harvest festivals. It is usually celebrated with a meal of Tamales and Atole, a sweet beverage made of maize. Parades, processions, and fireworks are a common feature as people carry figures of Baby Jesus to be blessed in Church.

• Día de la Amor y la Amistad (Feb 14)

  • Valentine’s day

    • How is the Day of Love and Friendship Celebrated in México?

    • Day of Love and Friendship

    • Not perceived as a couples day like in the USA. It is more about Self-Love and love towards one another, Human-To-Human. Love towards friends and family. (Sometimes, for some occasions, this brings people together after a strong/feud between each other. Meaning: people can come into terms and drop any issues they have with each other)

• Día de la Bandera (Feb 24)

  • Day of the Flag

    • Flag Day was instituted in 1937 to celebrate the country’s flag, which features three horizontal stripes in green, white, and red, with the country’s official crest of an eagle devouring a snake in its center. The day is not a statutory holiday and functions as a normal work day, lacking any unique traditions or celebrations.

...to be continued next week!