A MEXICAN NAVIDAD A SEASON OF FAITH, FOOD, AND FESTIVITY

LB908
14 hours ago
3 min read

By Gina Valencia

For Eloisa Nuñez, Christmas doesn’t begin with gift lists and shopping. It begins with laughter, the sound of family singing villancicos navideños (traditional festive Mexican Christmas carols), and the sweet aromas of cinnamon, fruit, chocolate, and holiday dishes simmering slowly on the stove.

For many Mexican families like Eloisa’s, Christmas isn’t a single day but a season that begins on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the patroness of Mexico) and flows through January 6, Día de los Reyes Magos (day of the Magi), sometimes even into February.

Some special traditions define the Mexican Christmas season, and every celebration makes memories that connect generations.

Las Posadas

From December 16 to 24, Mexican communities reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging: Las Posadas (the “inns”). Groups go door-to-door singing verses asking for shelter while hosts respond from inside, finally opening the door and welcoming everyone in. It’s equal parts devotion and celebration, blending call-and-response caroling with laughter and food.

Eloisa’s family has celebrated Las Posadas locally since 2011, though her memories reach back to childhood visits to Sinaloa, Mexico. Their local version compresses the nine-night ritual into one, hosted by a different home each year. “It’s not about rules,” the Long Beach mom said. “It’s a night to reconnect and for our multicultural kids to see their Mexican heritage come alive.”

Her family’s Posada takes weeks of planning and organizing. “It’s a labor of love that keeps our family close…everyone makes time for it,” Eloisa said.

Midnight Mass/Noche Buena

Christmas Eve meant La Misa de Gallo, the “Rooster’s Mass,” a midnight service celebrating the birth of Christ. Staying awake through the service was an achievement for us kids. The reward was opening one precious gift when we got home. While we tore into colorful boxes, the adults shared pan dulce and started the hot water for mugs of instant coffee, stretching the night into early Christmas morning.

A Kitchen In Full Bloom

The cocina during the holidays was a symphony of smells and sounds. Tamales steaming. Buñuelos frying crisp and golden. My Tía Ernestina’s buñuelos were legendary -- delicate, flaky, dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Drinks were their own ritual. There was ponche navideño, a fruit punch steeped with guava, cinnamon, and hibiscus (think apple cider, but fruitier). There’s rompope, Mexico’s eggnog cousin (each drink can be made with or without spirits). And always, chocolate Abuelita, stirred rich and frothy, in a pot of whole milk.

On New Year’s Day, my mom’s pozole verde marked a fresh start. She’d cook a massive pot of the hominy stew, inviting family and friends to stop by all week.

Three Kings Day

January 6, Día de los Reyes Magos honors the visit of the Three Wise Men when they brought gifts to baby Jesus. In Mexico, this is the traditional day for children to receive gifts; not from Santa, but from the Magi themselves. And we didn’t hang up stockings. We’d polish our Sunday shoes, set them out with a piece of fruit, and tuck a small wish list inside. One magical year, the Magi brought me the doll on skates I’d dreamed of.

On that day, families share the Rosca de Reyes (King’s Wreath), a ring-shaped sweet bread symbolizing God’s infinite love and eternity. Hidden inside is a small figure of baby Jesus. Whoever finds it, is “chosen” to host a meal on February 2, Día de la Candelaria (Blessed Candles), extending the holiday season even more.

Traditions Of Faith And Love

What makes a Mexican Christmas special isn’t extravagance, it’s continuity -- the way faith and festivity intertwine, where prayer meets laughter, and where music and food become expressions of gratitude. Each generation reshapes the tradition, adding new layers without losing the old.

“I hope younger generations carry forward the sense of community and family in a way that feels meaningful to them,” Eloisa said.

It’s a reminder that celebration isn’t something we attend, it’s something we carry, share, and pass on.

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LOCAL CATHOLIC MASSES: CHRISTMAS EVE & MIDNIGHT

Christmas Eve Mass

St. Athanasius, 5390 Linden Ave, 90805: 8pm mass

St. Barnabas, 3955 Orange Ave, 90807: 10pm mass | 9:30pm caroling | 5pm children’s mass

St. Cornelius, 5500 E. Wardlow Rd, 90808: 10pm mass

St. Joseph, 6180 E. Willow St, 90815: 9pm mass | 8:15pm choir

St. Maria Goretti, 3954 Palo Verde Ave, 90808: 5pm mass

St. Pancratius, 3519 St. Pancratius Place, Lakewood, 90712: 6pm and 8pm mass

Midnight Mass