Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are widely celebrated throughout the world. But Mexico is such an inclusive culture. Children’s Day is always filled with activities, and children look forward to a holiday all their own with fun, gifts and special events.

Many schools celebrate the day before and parents are invited. Of course, there are usually no classes on Children’s Day itself, April 30, even though it is not an official holiday in the school calendar.

On Children’s Day, the main focus is on the children and making them feel special. In shopping malls all over Mexico, special events with clowns, magicians, music, shows and balloons take place. Amusement parks as well as zoos and children’s museums usually offer discounts or special deals for children on this day. Water parks are a popular option for spending the day, taking advantage of April’s warm weather. Lines for the water slides can be quite long, but the reward of a refreshing splash in a swimming pool waiting at the end are truly worth the wait.

Large movements are organized by different civil associations that collect toy donations from citizens. On Children’s Day, they give them out to orphans and needy children as a way of literally “making their day.” Toys related to war or that require batteries to operate are generally not accepted.

It is a festivity that is quite unique, full of laughter and play, when adults are reminded of the importance of childhood and children teach us how joyful and simple life can be.

Nowadays, the gifts children of the middle and upper classes ask for are very different than when I was a child though. I would ask for sport equipment, helicopters, and simple toys that were fun and involved playing outdoors. Today, children seem to be more inclined for Blackberries, iPods and video games, as technology has become an important part of contemporary lifestyles.

If you want to be a part of this celebration, why not buy individual packets of cookies to carry in your handbag or glovebox and give out to street kids in Mexico? Dollar store toys can also be affordable gifts.

Family is supremely important in Mexico, with Grandparent’s Day on August 28th, Family Day on the first Sunday in March, and even a day for brothers and sisters. Of course, people come first, and there are also days dedicated to professions, like the Day of the Doctor, Day of the Teacher and Day of the Secretary, among others.

But that’s another story.

In Mexico, Christmas decorations stay up though January 6. The holiday celebrates Epiphany, when the Three Kings or Wise Men visited the baby Jesus with precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. El Día de los Santos Reyes is celebrated throughout Mexico. Yet nowhere is Three Kings Day more festive than in Cajititlan de Los Reyes, just 6.2 miles from Ajijic, Jalisco off the airport road.

Epiphany is when gifts are received. The night before, families enjoy a special bread known as Rosca de Reyes — Three Kings Bread. Inside the bread there are tiny dolls that represent baby Jesus. The person who gets a doll in his or her piece of bread a is considered a godparent to the child and must pay for tamales for everyone sharing the rosca on Candlemas, February 2. Children in traditional families leave a shoe under the Christmas tree or beside the nativity scene for the Three Kings who bring their presents while everyone is asleep.

Cajititlan and its Three Kings

Cajititlan is known for its lakshore charm and deeply held traditions. Here, celebrations begin on December 30 and culminate nine days later. The images of the Three Kings leave their home in the beautiful 18th century church around 10 a.m. Accompanied by authocthonous dancers, they are carried through the streets of the town in a colorful parade with musicians, floats, children wearing golden crowns and “kings” in velvet capes on horseback.

Upon arriving at the shore, each image has his own cheerfully-decorated motorboat. The Three Kings tour the lake to bless the waters and assure a good catch for fishermen in the upcoming year before they are returned to the parish church on the town plaza.

At 9 p.m., there is a traditional dance in the plaza and you can enjoy spectacular fireworks at 10:30 at night.

Due to the size of this charming town and the number of people attending, the procession isn’t necessarily celebrated on January 6.

So much to do!

Carnival rides surround the plaza with its beautiful bandstand and bubbling quarry stone fountain. Food stands are set up there for the town fiestas. They serve a world of snacks, from nieve de garrafa (hand-cranked ice cream) to regional candies, pineapple juice squeezed before your eyes, and potato chips dipped from sizzling vats of oil and doused with chile sauce and lemon.

Religious processions take place throughout the nine days leading up to January 6, while daring riders mount bulls and charros show off their horsemanship skills in the Cayetano Rodriguez Plaza de Toros.

The malecón, or lakeside promenade has been recently remodeled, and informal restaurants along the shore serve up a variety of seafood, such as shrimp and prawns grilled on a skewer, fish fillets, cocktails and tostadas heaped with ceviche. Itinerant musicians serenade diners there.

This year, the parade and Three Kings boat ride take place on January 7 at 10 a.m. — get there early! Some 1,200,000 people are expected to visit over the ten days of festivities.

Photo Gallery: The magic of Playa del Carmen on Mexico's Maya Riviera

A paradisaical town on Mexico’s Maya Riviera can be found just a 45-minute drive from the Cancun International airport. Less known, but no less beautiful, Playa del Carmen has a lot to offer, and has become a popular destination for tourists from all around the world.

Most of the action in Playa del Carmen happens on 5th Avenue, a 20-block pedestrian street, two blocks from the beach. Here you can find a large variety of shops, hotels, bars, restaurants and boutiques. During the day, it is a great place for shopping. In addition, there are stands representing the main attractions in the area, where you can book tours. At night, 5th Avenue becomes a unique scenario full of light, color and social interaction.

Hotels in Playa del Carmen range from boutique hotels with theme rooms filled with art to world-class all inclusive resorts to small rustic hotels. In the same way, shops offer options that range from traditional Mexican arts and crafts to world-renowned designer fashions.

Regarding mobility, there are options that vary in prices and lifestyle. Taking a cab tends to be pricy but it’s a good option when parking becomes an issue. Car rentals are also available and tend to be a better option for sightseeing along the Yucatan Peninsula. There is a segregated bike lane along 10th street (one block from 5th avenue). Bicycles can be rented at a modest price and are an ideal way to move around short distances. An even more economical option to move around long distances is public transportation. Brand new air conditioned vans will take you from Playa del Carmen to Tulum and other archeological sites for around as little as $35 pesos per person.

Theme Parks and Activities on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast

Theme parks abound. Tours can include both the entrance fee and free transportation from your hotel when booked at the different booths installed on 5th Avenue. Besides the main tourist attractions, there are other less commercial and equally amazing places to get to know.

If you drive slowly along the highway from Playa del Carmen toward the Cancun International airport, you can find small wooden signs that indicate there is a cenote nearby. Cenotes are natural circular sinkholes in the limestone subsoil. They often have caverns and passages that interconnect them, and usually are filled with water. They exist with different shapes, sizes, depths. Entrance fees go from 15 to 40 pesos per person to visit these natural landscapes unique in the world.

A few feet beyond the entrance to the Tulum ruins, you will find a paradise of white sand beaches and celestial blue waters. Unimaginable landscapes can be enjoyed on virgin beaches, far away from civilization. These are ideal to relax and let go, enjoy the scenery and disconnect from the routine.

Among the main theme parks some of the most recognized for their beauty and tourist attractions are Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Xtremo.

You can also ask in the tourist stands about snorkeling. Playa del Carmen has several nearby beaches, where you can rent snorkeling equipment. For an unforgettable experience, hire a boat to local beaches where you can snorkel with wild sea turtles.

In addition to tourist attractions, you’ll find a world of activities in Playa del Carmen. In fact, it is considered by many to be the cultural version of Cancun — a not-entirely-tourist-oriented city on the Maya Riviera.

In Mexico — as well as Spain and other Latin American countries — December 28 is the equivalent of April Fool’s Day. Although it may seem irreverent, jokes of all kinds are played on the innocents. Fortunately, the jokes are well taken.

Among the traditions, this poem is recited after someone has been fooled:

Inocente palomita,
Que te dejaste engañar,
Sabiendo que en este día
Nada se debe prestar.

Innocent little dove,
You let yourself be fooled,
Knowing that on this day
Nothing should be lent.

People make the most outlandish statements. They tell others shocking news like they’re going to be parents, or they’re getting married to someone else’s sweetheart. In this electronic world, Facebook postings are a way of fooling friends at home and farther afield. For example, my brother posted that he’d won a scholarship and would be spending the next three years away at school. It wasn’t true, but all day long he received e-mails of congratulations and encouragement, much to his perverse delight.

The news media also play a part in this traditional day. Newspapers often have two front pages — one with real information and another with headlines that are hard to believe. These reports are always something unexpected such as surprise marriages between politicians and famous musicians, huge salary donations by politicians, silly archeological discoveries and other improbable news.

Television journalists also prepare astonishing and hard to believe headlines and, if you’re caught off guard, you can be fooled.

Fortunately for teachers, the holiday falls during Christmas vacations.

One of my favorite December 28 headlines said Kate Middleton was leaving Prince William for Mexican soccer star Chicharito!

It is on this day of Holy Innocents that people in Mexico get back in touch with the prank-playing child we all have inside.

Published or Updated on: December 28, 2011 by Sergio Wheeler © 2011