It’s not Christmas without decorations! We all have our special decorations that we have to put up as part of our Christmas traditions. In Mexico, Christmas is a very important holiday, and everything involved in the celebration is steeped in tradition and full of meaning. You’ll see some of these traditional decorations at your favorite Mexican restaurant, but that’s nothing compared to what you would see in a Mexican community or home.
Join your favorite Mexican restaurant with a look at four common traditional Mexican Christmas decorations and explore their significance to the holiday.
Piñatas
We typically associate piñatas with kids’ birthday parties, but they are a common sight at a Mexican Christmas celebration. A Mexican Christmas piñata is usually a seven-pointed star or a ball with seven spikes. The seven points represent the seven deadly sins, and the act of breaking the piñata represents overcoming sin. Putting on a blindfold represents blind faith, the stick represents virtue, and the candy inside represents your reward for faith in God.
Nacimiento
A Naciemento is a Nativity scene, and it is the most popular Christmas decoration in Mexico. In the United States, Nativity scenes are usually small displays inside a home or church. Mexican Nacimientos are large and colorful; many families set them up instead of Christmas trees. Additionally, there are traditional times to place figures in the scene. For example, the Baby Jesus is added on Christmas Eve, and the Three Kings arrive on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany.
Poinsettias
Poinsettias are popular Christmas decorations worldwide, and many of us probably have them in our homes. They are native to Mexico and were first cultivated by the Aztecs. In Aztec culture, the color red represented purity, which fits in with Catholic Christmas traditions. White poinsettias are also grown to include the Western European association of white with purity. Today, it is very common to find both red and white varieties in Christmas decorations.
Luminaries
These paper lanterns light the way for the Posadas, processions that remember Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. You’ll often see them lining streets or hanging outside homes in Mexican communities.
Celebrate the Holidays with Your Favorite Mexican Restaurant!
Because Christmas is such an important holiday in Mexico, why not get in the holiday spirit with a visit to your favorite Mexican restaurant? We have all your favorites at California Burritos. Visit us and celebrate with Mexican food today!