Mexico is warm and colourful in the holiday season south of the border. You will discover a delightful array of seasonal traditions which make celebrating "Navidad" (Christmas) in Mexico a unique and unforgettable experience.

The main Christmas celebration in Mexico is Las Posadas, which are processions re-enacting Joseph and Mary’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. They begin nine days before Christmas because the original journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem took nine days. Friends and family divide into two groups, Pilgrims and Innkeepers. The Pilgrims travel from house to house asking for shelter and are declined every time until finally they reach a house where an alter and Nativity Scene are set up. Here Pilgrims are admitted with great rejoicing and a traditional prayer is spoken.

The King’s Ring-Shaped bread is a traditional Epiphany supper. It is a ring-shaped cake and is usually eaten with a hot chocolate. This cake came from Spain and it was introduced to Mexico during the early years of the Viceregal reign. Decorations are also on it. Some of them are sugar. Others are dried fruit such as figs, quince and cherries, which improve the flavour. A tiny figure, which represents the Christ Child, is hidden in the preparation for the cake-cutting ritual, which begins in the afternoon or dinnertime. Unlike the Cracker Jack box where the winner takes all, whoever finds the doll is very unlucky. They have to throw a party on February 2^nd. The winner who has to pay for the party is often thought as the loser.

On Christmas Eve in Santiago Tuxtla (Veracruz) everybody assembles in the Zocalo for an evening of dancing, which include the huapangs to the accompaniment of a Jarocho band. In Quiroga (Michoacan) villagers present some Nativity plays (Pastorales) in churches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Even in the capital, Mexico City, a festive air with the famed Zocalo a blaze (which is sometimes called the Plaza de la Constitution) has a sea of colourful lights in this ancient square.

The Cuetlaxochitl or better known as the Poinsettia is known as the Christmas flower because of its beautiful red colour and it mainly blooms in December. In most countries it is known as the Poinsettia after the former US Ambassador to Mexico (Joel R. Poinset) liked it so much he named it and sent it to the USA. Later it was sent to Europe.

Several weeks before Christmas decorated market stalls or Puestos are set up in every town and city. People travel for days just to get to these markets. Puestos offer crafts of every kind like foods such as cheese, bananas, nuts and cookies. They also offer flowers like orchids and poinsettias.