Christmas is undeniably one of the most loved holidays in America by people of many faiths; however, just a drive away, on the other side of the Mexico-United States border, the holiday can take on a very different look.
¨I was brought to San Diego by my mother and my step-father when I was 15. I noticed very quickly a lot of things were different,¨ said Mexican Migrant Teresita Munoz. Like a lot of people, Munoz enjoys the holiday season and she tries to keep her traditions alive with all generations of her family.
One Mexican tradition that is not as commonly seen in the States is “Las Posadas,” an event that occurs in Latinx communities where a reenactment of Mary and Joseph, the parents of baby Jesus, struggle to find a place to stay in Jerusalem. It is similar to a play where people – often children – dress up for the roles.
Munoz said, “Las Posadas is celebrated with a variety of actors playing the parts, and those playing Jesus and Mary will go from door to door, being rejected entry at each location, until the final door where, at a stable they are allowed entry, to replicate the story in the Bible.” In recent years, she has celebrated this event with her Lutheran Church who join their neighboring Presbyterian Church for the event. They end the exciting night with dinner.
In North America, according to NBC News, the Christmas celebration begins on December 24 and comes to an end on December 25. However, in Mexico, they continue to celebrate the holiday until January 6, when “Dia de Reyes” takes place (nbcboston.com).
According to NBC News, “Dia de Reyes” celebrates the day that the Three Wise Men were meant to have met Baby Jesus. This day is often celebrated with “Rosca de Reyes,” translated to Kings Thread, a sweet bread made in the shape of a large ring, often with a small plastic doll, a depiction of baby Jesus, hidden inside (nbcnews.com).
“The anticipation of finding the baby Jesus can be exciting, but it is not typically a good thing,” said Munoz, who went on to explain: “In our family, whoever finds the plastic Jesus is the one who has to host Christmas the following year,” said Munoz. One can imagine the realization of the upcoming responsibility once one bites down on the hard plastic.
In the United States, on Christmas Day, one might expect to find a delicious feast of prime rib, ham or turkey, with mashed potatoes, and a variety of family favorites. Yet, a different menu will most likely be seen in a Mexican household. Although every family is unique, it is more typical to find delicious food like tamales, according to a website about Mexican cooking, which can be made in several variations of flavors, along with pozole, rice and beans (mexicoinmykitchen.com).
“Food connects us. Every year in preparation for the holidays, the women in our family get together and we all make hundreds of tamales together,” Munoz said. Tamales are a staple that unites her family as they continue to cook them together year after year.
Whatever different traditions people celebrate all around the world, Christmas is distinctively a time for families to get together and make memories that will last a lifetime.