It's Christmas all over the world, and one place I've always desperately wanted to kick back and welcome Santa (and the New Year) is on a remote beach in Mexico. Cold margaritas, spicy burritos and loud crazy local music on a remote pristine beach? Yes please!
Christmas is a really big deal down in Mexico, which makes sense as it's a heavily Catholic local community. It all begins with Las Posadas, nine consecutive days of candelight processions and parties starting on December 16 and lasting until February 2. Children join together and re-enact the birth of Jesus - often including a real live donkey in their procession to a designated village house to request shelter for the night. And it's then that the party really begins with plenty of multi-coloured paper costumes and wild decorations for this kickstart to the festive season.
In most Mexican homes, the nativity scene takes pride of place with coloured figurines of angels, an ox, an ass, shepherds, flocks of lambs and of course, Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus. This scenes can sometimes take up an entire room, with the uniquely Mexican addition of a sneaky serpent or Lucifer also hiding menacingly behind the happy scene...
Noche Buena! Happy Christmas Eve! It's a late night mass and then a late night feast at home with plenty of alcoholic fruit punch and apple cider, poinsettias all over the table and gifts for everyone. There is a cacophany of fireworks, ringing bells and blowing whistles up and down the streets. Christmas Day is a day of rest, plates piled high with leftovers and lazing around after the celebrations the night before.
The festival of The Los Santos Inocentes on December 28, Day of the Holy Innocents, is the Mexican version of April Fool's Day and is closely followed by Dia de los Reyes, Three Kings Day is on January 6 where even more presents are found on the doorstep.
So next year, maybe, my Mexican Christmas dream will come true. Hola!
