christmas

• The first thing to know about celebrating Christmas in Mexico is that most everybody takes off the last two weeks in December - spend more time with the family, visit with old friends, even make new friends. One of the biggest fiestas of the year - in small towns, big cities, the beach resorts, everywhere - Christmas in Mexico is celebrated in a variety of ways. A common denominator is theposada, a recreation of Mary (on donkey) and Joseph searching for a "room at the inn." Accompanying them is a choir of small children who knock on doors asking for lodging for the weary couple. By previous arrangem

  The procession, which takes place during the 12 days before Christmas, moves along, growing in numbers until it reaches the church, where mass is held. After the service, the children get to enjoy a festive pinata party.

  Even though variations of this tableaux are repeated throughout the country, you can expect to find some regional differences, which makes a Mexican Christmas not only a cross cultural mix, but a varied and interesting experience. Year after year. Region after region.
  For example, in the Ajijic area, a "riviera resort community" suburb of Guadalajara, in the little village of San Antonio, the posada is a most moving and spiritual experience. Same for Taxco and Queretaro. Catch the event in these areas if you can. Also in Queretaro, there's a huge parade on December 23.

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• In the town of Cajititlan (near Guadalajara), as in many other places in the Hispanic world, they celebrate the holidays on Three Kings Day (Epiphany), which falls on January 6th. In fact, this was the traditional time to celebrate the gift-giving aspect of Christmas throughout Mexico. But in most parts of the country, the holiday now coincides with the day of celebration north-of-the-border: December 25. Many children now expect gifts on both days.