Before you retire in Mexico, read this humorous, practical e-book.
Welcome to Mexico Vistas
Mexico Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Mexico. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
Twas The Night Before Navidad in Mexico
from: Kriss HammondTwas The Night Before Navidad in Mexico
Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/globe02/Mexico02/navidad/navidad.html
Mexico City - Christmas celebrations in Mexico are marked by diverse traditions and attractions which, combined with the sunny weather, drive thousands of tourists to the country during the winter months of December and January. It is during this time that visitors to Mexico will experience the unique traditions and warm hospitality of the country at its best as Mexicans countrywide celebrate the ultimate fiesta with sumptuous regional holiday cuisine, colorful and ornate decorations and traditional festivities.
One of the most impressive Mexican holiday customs are Las Posadas. A longstanding tradition carried out nightly from December 16 through 24, the Posadas are a religious and social celebration, paying homage to the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Before becoming an annual tradition, the nine days of processions were created to teach the story of the birth of Jesus and to coincide with the nine day Fiestas of the Sun, which celebrated the virgin birth of the Aztec Sun God, Huitzilopochtli.
On the nine nights before Christmas, a party is held in a neighborhood home. At dusk, the guests gather outside the home to watch a procession of children and musicians dressed in colorful robes and bathed in the glow of candlelight. Once the singing procession reaches the home, one half enters the home while the other half remains outside to sing a plea for shelter inspired by Mary and Joseph's plea to the innkeeper. The doors are then opened, and the celebration begins with plenty of food and drink for all. The last posada, held on December 24, is followed by midnight mass.
Pastorelas (or shepherds' plays) are another key aspect of the Mexican Christmas tradition. Pastorelas are dramatic pieces which represent various historical scenarios, including the trip of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary to register themselves in the Roman census, the hardships they suffered while searching in vain for shelter, or one of the most common, the shepherd's adoration of Baby Jesus.
The plays date back to Mexico's Colonial period when Catholic missionaries used these dramatizations to convert natives to Christianity. The first known pastorela to have been performed was "Los Reyes" (the three kings) acted out by missionaries in 1527 in Cuernavaca. Today, they are often performed by professional groups, but also by children and amateurs.
Mexico welcomes the New Year with an abundance of music, dancing and fireworks. Streets are filled with revelers, friends and families congregating for parties that often last till dawn. One tradition calls for eating twelve grapes, one with each stroke of the chiming bell, at midnight for luck in the coming 12 months. New Year's Day is usually a quiet time of rest and reflection.
To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/globe02/Mexico02/navidad/navidad.html
Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
About the Author
Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com Leave Your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.
 |
 |
Other Mexico related Articles
Mariachi Music - Origins
Vicente Fernandez
Do you want to contribute to our site : submit your articles HERE
Warning: file(http://www.searchfeed.com/rd/feed/TextFeed.jsp?trackID=P2127485710&pID=54656&cat=Mexico&nl=5&page=1&excID=) [function.file]: failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
in /home/titanad/public_html/mexicovistas/datas/searchfeed.php on line 8
Mexico Specific links
Mexico News
Alleged perpetrator of mass beheadings in Mexico arrested - Chicago Tribune
 Chicago Tribune | Alleged perpetrator of mass beheadings in Mexico arrested Chicago Tribune MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican soldiers have arrested an alleged perpetrator of the massacre of 49 people whose corpses were decapitated, dismembered and dumped on a highway last week. Daniel Elizondo, alias "The Madman," a leader of the Zetas drug ... Daniel Elizondo Arrested: Alleged Perpetrator Of Mass Beheadings In Mexico ... Mexico arrests 'cartel leader' behind Monterrey deaths Mexico Cartel Leader Arrested |
Mexico detains 4th Mexican army officer for questioning, following drug ... - Washington Post
 Globe and Mail | Mexico detains 4th Mexican army officer for questioning, following drug ... Washington Post MEXICO CITY — Mexico's army announced Friday that it had detained a fourth high-ranking officer during a civilian investigation into alleged military links to drug cartels. Three generals were previously detained. The Defense Department said it ... Mexico Detains Third General in Cartel Probe Mexico Holds 4 High-Ranking Army Officers Mexico Detains 3rd General with Drug Cartel Links |
Cannes 2012: Mexico Film Archive Eyes Doubling of Admissions After Renovation - Hollywood Reporter
Cannes 2012: Mexico Film Archive Eyes Doubling of Admissions After Renovation Hollywood Reporter Mexico's Cineteca Nacional, the country's state-owned film archive and cinematheque, for the first time unveiled details here on Sunday about its new look and facilities following a year-long €22 million ($28 million) renovation and redevelopment that ... Mexico's Cineteca gets $29 million makeover Mexico unveils revamped Cineteca Cannes Roundup: 'The Physician's Quest, Celebrating 007, Mexico's Cineteca ... |
200-year-old shipwreck found in Gulf of Mexico - WWL First News
 WWL First News | 200-year-old shipwreck found in Gulf of Mexico WWL First News AP Reporting An oil company exploration crew's chance discovery of a 200-year-old shipwreck in a little-charted stretch of the Gulf of Mexico is yielding a trove of new information to scientists who say it's one of the most well-preserved old wrecks ... Explorers Find 200-Year-Old Shipwreck in Gulf of Mexico 200 Year Old Shipwreck Discovered In Northern Gulf Of Mexico |
Youth protest former Mexican ruling party's rise - Chicago Tribune
 Kansas City Star | Youth protest former Mexican ruling party's rise Chicago Tribune MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Thousands of demonstrators protested in Mexico City on Saturday against opposition presidential candidate Enrique Pena Nieto, who is far ahead in polls and poised to lead the party that ruled Mexico for much of the 20th century ... Young Mexicans march against old ruling party, despite lead in polls |
