Christmas in Mexico and Latin America
Christmas in Mexico and Latin America
Christmas is celebrated in all the Spanish speaking countries on December 24 and is called Nochebuena, loosely translated, something like Holy Night.
This holiday is a religious celebration of the birth of Christ, so there is no mention of Santa Claus or presents.
Many families now decorate with a tree but the primary focus is on the Nativity which is set up in every home and is truly a delight to see!
Jesus and Mary and especially the baby Jesus, the “ Niño Jesus”, are beautiful figurines cherished and handed down through the generations by family members. Everyone looks forward to setting up the Nativity, which is an activity shared by all, young and old.
At twelve o’clock midnight the family attends a midnight mass which is a special mass called “Una Misa de Gallo” supposedly finishing in olden times’ when the rooster crowed and the dawn broke on Christmas Day. Nowadays it lasts about 3 hours, but certainly longer than usual.
The food for the Nochebuena dinner varies from country to country, but is usually an intermingling of traditional Christmas dishes indigenous to the particular country. Families also prepare very Spanish dishes that have been served in Spain for generations These were recipes brought to the Americas by the nobility and the Spanish nuns of the different orders.
“Bacalao a la Viscaina” a salted cod dish. is a very Spanish from Spain delicacy and is the number one dish served on Nochebuena.
In Mexico the Carmelite nuns are famous for their wonderful Christmas treats and hand made pastries which are sold at the convents fresh every morning.
There are other Spanish from Spain dishes such as the famous “Lechon” which is a tender roasted pork, and many more simply delicious Christmas delicacies which are treasured and handed down from family to family!
Stay tuned for Part Three w
