Holidays of Mexico

As a country with a long and rich history, Mexico celebrates a host of important cultural and religious holidays. The holidays of Mexico often center on religious beliefs, the most widely spread religion in Mexico currently being Catholicism. Mexico vacations are an excellent way to catch some sun, and maybe take in some interesting cultural perspective as well. Throughout the year, travelers will find holidays in Mexico to be a lot of fun.

Probably the most widely celebrated of Mexico holidays is The Day of the Dead, also known as All Saints Day. The Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout the country on November 1st. Mixing pre-Hispanic traditions with widely held catholic beliefs, The Day of the Dead is one of the most sacred and fascinating holidays of Mexico for tourists. Families honor their own deceased ancestors, along with catholic saints, by creating an altar in their home with representative artifacts and food. The food is later enjoyed by the family in a ceremony that celebrates death and life, and the cycle that unites them both. In Mexico City, travelers will find the entire city has been covered in skeletons. Far from being considered morbid, children line the streets with cakes shaped like skeleton heads, and various skeleton puppets and toys can be found nearly everywhere. Of the many holidays in Mexico, The Day of the Dead offers the largest celebration and if you are looking to plan your Mexico vacations around a festival, you might consider November 1st.

Tourists traveling to Mexico for Cinco de Mayo, another one of the holidays of Mexico, might be surprised to find that this day of independence is celebrated in the United States more elaborately then in Mexico. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, when Mexican troops overcame the French in 1862. The city of Puebla itself still holds a boisterous Cinco de Mayo celebration, but celebrations throughout the rest of the country are decidedly lower key. However, if you are looking for holidays in Mexico as an excuse to tip back a margarita, the citizens of Mexico certainly won't fault you for taking part in a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Another of the popular holidays in Mexico is Christmas. As a mainly catholic country, Christmas is a celebration of the nativity and just about every home in Mexico will have some kind of nativity set up in a central area. Most families with children will also break a piñata on Christmas Day and locals are happy to share this tradition with travelers. For anyone planning Mexico vacations over the Christmas season, you'll be sure to have a special time.

Taking part in one of the fun Mexican holidays can certainly enhance Mexico vacations. For more information on Mexican national holidays, be sure to check out Mexican holiday facts as you plan your trip. Mexico vacations that include a holiday in Mexico are bound to be full of colorful celebration.