La Anunciación a María, clay and polychrome figurine, artist unknown, Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, 1982 © Anthony Wright, 2012

Christmas in Mexico: Navidad en Mexico, a Mexican holiday resource page

Few North Americans recognize that the roots of these treasured “Christmas” traditions were active long before the birth of Christ. In fact, most evolved from pagan winter solstice rituals of the Celts, Druids, Scandinavians and indigenous groups, and the much older Jewish Festival of Lights. While the most beloved Mexican Christmas traditions are firmly based […]

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My journey with La Calaca: a Day of the Dead experience

Mexico’s Day of the Dead – resource page

November 1, All Saints Day, and November 2, All Souls Day, are marked throughout Mexico by intriguing customs that vary widely according to the ethnic roots of each region. Common to all, however, are colorful adornments and lively reunions at family burial plots, the preparation of special foods, offerings laid out for the departed on […]

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Mexico Travel Books and Retirement / Living Guides

Clicking on the book title will take you to more about the book at amazon.com People’s Guide to Mexico: Wherever you go… There You Are Carl Franz, Lorena Havens, Steve Rogers A different type of guidebook — anecdotal, instructive, personal and very informative/educational. It is written from a narrative or story telling point of view. […]

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The Passion of Christ: Easter in Ixtapalapa, a Mexico City neighborhood

Easter in Mexico, Semana Santa and Pascua: a Mexican holiday resource page

For Mexico, the Easter holidays are a combination of Semana Santa (Holy Week — Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday) and Pascua (Resurrection Sunday until the following Saturday). For most Mexicans, this 2 week period is the time of year for holiday vacations (good time to not be on the highways — just stay put and […]

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Calendar of Mexican food festivals

Possibly no other country in the world has as many festivals, fairs and feast days as Mexico. National holidays, religious holidays and people’s santos (saints’ days) are all celebrated with gusto, as are the observances of the patron saints of virtually every city, town and pueblito. The santoral, or calendar of saints’ days, is so crowded with names […]

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The beloved Virgin of Zapopan. Photo by Ute Hagen

The Religious Virgins and Saints of Mexico: las Virgenes y santos de Mexico

La Virgen de Guadalupe – Mother of all Mexico Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe The Virgin Guadalupe “La Reina de México”, “La Virgen Indígena” Fiesta de Guadalupe in Puerto Vallarta Paying tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Oaxaca The Virgen of Guadalupe – Celebration in Oaxaca The Virgin of Guadalupe: Tonantzin or Mary? Our Lady of […]

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Guelaguetza dancers © Geri Anderson, 2000

Mexico holiday and fiesta calendar – Mexican Holidays

Fiestas abound in Mexico. The following listing of major Mexican holidays, by no means complete, is intended to help the newcomer to Mexico understand the motive for hearing rockets blasting off at dawn, finding a local bank or post office closed on a weekday, or encountering traffic brought to a halt by a passing parade […]

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