Winter is a wondrous time to visit Mexico. Balmy weather aside, there are many merry reasons to consider a trip to Mexico around the Christmas season, which runs from December 12th to January 6th. Gifts are given on the 6th(the day commemorating the three kings’ visit to baby Jesus in the manger), but the real festivities are in the preceding month of processions, religious ceremonies, and family gatherings.

Posadas

Christmas celebrations kick off on December 16 with a ritual that dates back 400 years. “Posadas” represent a nine-day series of processions recreating the Holy Pilgrimage of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus to Bethlehem.

During the processions, two people dressed as Mary and Joseph lead the way with a candle inside a paper lantern. Certain homes decorated with evergreens and paper lanterns are designated as “the inns.” One home is visited each night for eight nights. At each home, children sing a song, asking to be let in. The residents respond in song, saying there is no room at the inn. On the ninth night, the guests are finally allowed inside for prayer, followed by a party with food and sweet-filled piñatas.

There are many variations on the tradition, depending where you go. San Miguel de Allende is one of the best places in Mexico to partake in posadas, where the community incorporates live donkeys, tremendous bonfires, a Three Kings Market with over 700 vendors, nativity scene building workshops, costumes, classical music concerts, and special treats.

Decorations

Nativity scenes are put up during the Christmas season all across Mexico. Unlike the modest figurines found in people’s homes in America, most of the Mexican scenes are life-sized or encompassing entire rooms of a person’s home. These figurines are often constructed out of clay and passed down through the generations within a family.

Mexican nativity scenes are based around traditional depictions of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and the Three Kings, but you may see a few unusual additions. Everyday Mexican people – from tortilla-makers to food vendors – are often included in the manger scenes, as well as exotic wild animals like flamingos.

Red poinsettia flowers adorn every Mexican home. Legend has it, a poor girl picked weeds to bring to Church for baby Jesus one Christmas Eve. The people in her neighborhood mocked her, but she believed that any gift given in love would be appreciated by the infant king. When she arrived at church, the “weeds” blossomed into beautiful red flowers – a true Christmas miracle!

Evergreens have become increasingly popular over the years, just as we celebrate with Christmas trees. Hand-painted ornaments make the ideal keepsake to take back home after spending Christmas in Mexico.

Nochebuena traditions

Nochebuena translates to “the Good Night” – which we call “Christmas Eve” in America. On December 24, Mexican families and friends gather for a big feast, often accompanied by music and small gifts.

Dinner may include:

• Homemade tamales or roast pork with rice and beans as a main entrée
• Bacalao a la Vizcaina, a salt cod stew
• A delicious salad made of dark leafy greens, potatoes and mole sauce called romeritos en revoltijo
• Small donuts, hot chocolate, and circular-shaped rosca de reyes fruit cakes for dessert

Mexicans customarily toast with a punch called coquito made from coconut milk, condensed milk and white rum. Another special drink the Mexicans enjoy at Christmastime is called ponche con piquete – a hot drink made from the pulp of seasonal fruits, spices like cinnamon, and alcohol like rum, brandy, or tequila. Atole is a hot, corn-based beverage flavored with vanilla beans, cinnamon and brown sugar.

The feast is followed by Misa de Gallo (“Mass of Roosters”) — the Midnight Mass, where a baby Jesus figurine is blessed and placed in the nativity scene. The religious service received its name from a legendary rooster who witnessed the birth of Jesus and made his announcement to the world.

Mexico is a land characterized by its sun-drenched beaches, Mayan ruins and adrenaline-filled outdoor pursuits. What many visitors fail to anticipate before their vacation is the smorgasbord of mouthwatering regional cuisine awaiting them, whether exploring the Riviera Nayarit or the Spanish colonial town of  San Jose del Cabo. No matter where you travel, you’ll have no trouble finding at least one gastronomic experience that speaks to the local culture and flavor.

Here are 10 incredible “must try” dishes to add to your Mexico culinary bucket list.

Chiles en nogada

Perfect for lunch or dinner, chiles en nogada is both tasty and colorful. Mild poblano chillies are filled with a mixture of spiced chopped meats and fruit, and topped with a creamy walnut sauce.

Tamales

This ancient snack, dating back to the Aztec era, is especially popular around the Christmas holidays. Most tamales are savory, and prepared with corn dough filled with chopped pork, chicken and vegetables and/or cheese and then wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.

Mole

This rich, dark sauce is one of the most popular complements to Mexican dishes, and can contain more than 30 ingredients! Chile peppers make up the base of this sauce, which is flavored with spices, nuts, chocolate and fruits. Some of the most classic moles are mole negro and mole poblano, served in the Oaxaca and Central Mexico.

Tostadas

Tostadas are popular appetizers, or make for a great light lunch. Corn tortillas are fried in vegetable oil and then topped with refried beans and cheese, ground chicken or beef, or even ceviche.

Tacos al pastor

This authentic dish remains a best-seller on menus across the country, and is created by placing thin slices of perfectly roasted pork on a corn tortilla. The tacos are topped with coriander, diced onions and a pineapple garnish.

Chilaquiles

For a taste of Mexican comfort food, try this traditional breakfast staple. Chilaquiles feature triangles of lightly fried corn tortillas, piled high with your choice of scrambled eggs, cheese, or pulled chicken and a hearty topping of green or red salsa.

Elote

Almost every street corner in Mexico has a vendor selling perfectly cooked corn on the cob, or elote. Some serve the kernels in a cup, and others serve the cob on a stick, to be eaten like a Popsicle. Elote is usually eaten with a combo of lime, chili powder, or cheese and sour cream.

Pozole

This rich, hearty stew is made with dried large white corn kernels (hominy), pork shoulder, onions, garlic and a mixture of herbs and then simmered for hours.

Enchiladas Verde

Various versions of enchiladas were first made by the Maya, who wrapped fish in corn tortillas. The modern enchiladas “verde” generally use flour tortillas, which are stuffed with cooked chicken and topped with a bright tomatillo sauce augmented with serrano chilies – perfect for lunch or dinner!

Guacamole

Just about everyone is familiar with guacamole, perhaps Mexico’s most famous side dish! Guacamole flavors vary from region to region, but the most traditional is made with ripe avocados, onion, lime juice, tomatoes, chili pepper and garlic.

Mexico may evoke images of sultry sandy beaches and summer getaways, but do not overlook the richness of a Mexico vacation in mild weather as well. As November gets underway, it is a perfect time to plan a holiday beach vacation in Mexico whether you plan to fly solo, with a small group, or with the whole family.

Holiday travel in Mexico

Christmas and other winter holidays in Mexico tend to meld recognizable holiday festivities with local flavor. Do not be surprised to find cheerfully decorated streets complete with nativity scenes, Christmas trees, and sometimes even synthetic snow, alongside vendors preparing local favorites like tamales and warm tropical punch. In other words, there are some enjoyable benefits to vacationing in Mexico for the holidays.

For those itching to escape the snow, Mexico’s weather is more mild though there are variations – naturally, more northern destinations and spots in the mountains are cooler than the more southern locales. Playa del Carmen, on the Yucatan peninsula, sees its annual low temperatures of about 74 degrees in January. In Cabo San Lucas, farther north, January temperatures only reach about 66 degrees.

Mexican travel destinations also tend to offer plenty of family-friendly events. Playa del Carmen kicks of December with the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival. Mexico City hosts Christmas festivities from early December through early January, even installing an ice rink for skating in the Zocalo. You can find anything from religious feasts to a radish night to patronize during the holiday seasons.

Winter vacation in Mexico

During the holiday season, travel to Mexico picks up during the weeks when children are on school breaks. Hotels can be especially crowded but vacation rentals are a comfortable alternative that are easy on the wallet and promise tons of modern amenities.

Whether you’re a beach bum, a history buff or an adventure junkie, you’re sure to enjoy the wonderful attractions, people, food and landscapes of Mexico!

Skeletons can be downright spooky unless you’re celebrating Dia de los Muertos in Mexico!

Held just after Halloween, Dia de los Muertos – or Day of the Dead — is akin to an enormous family reunion. This holiday stems from ancient Aztec traditions that celebrate and rejoice the lives of ancestors, and is a joyful time when relatives pay special tribute to the souls of the departed.

Every November 1 and 2 families throughout Mexico enjoy one of the liveliest and most colorful holiday celebrations. Day of the Dead is a time of immense cheerfulness, when families cook together and share humorous anecdotes of grandmothers and great grandfathers. It is a celebration marked with jubilant music, delicious food, life-sized skeletons and vibrant skull masks, graveyard parties and lots of laughter. This traditional holiday – celebrated throughout southern and central Mexico — is a huge family party that brings loved ones together in pueblos big and small to honor the spirits of the dead.

Festivals & celebrations to honor the dead

Dia de los Muertos is rooted in the belief that by celebrating their dead loved ones, families will be afforded protection by the spirits of their ancestors, who can also provide guidance and wisdom. Each family creates an elaborate candlelit alter, known as an ofrenda, which is adorned with fresh marigolds and the favored foods, drinks and trinkets of the deceased. The altars also contain items that were dear to the fallen relative, whether a musical instrument, a special photo or a book.  The ofrendas are also decorated with candied sugar skulls and folk-art skeleton replicas as a final touch.

On November 2, families make a pilgrimage to the local cemeteries where their relatives are buried with lots of food and libations in tow. There, they spend the day together, cleaning the tombstones and gravesite areas while singing songs, making toasts, playing music and speaking to the departed spirits of those who passed on. There are always plenty of homemade delicacies (including corn tortillas, mole, fruit, nuts and candies) at these gravesite parties, where plates of food are offered to ancestral spirits as well. Mexican families often take the opportunity to introduce a newborn child to grandparents or other ancestors who passed on before the birth.

Skeletons and skulls are some of the most ubiquitous symbols during Dia de Los Muertos. These mini cardboard or papier mache creations are usually playing musical instruments, singing, or doing other joyful activities that demonstrate a celebration and love of life.

Typical holiday foods during this Mexican holiday include slightly sweetened egg bread and sugared candies that are formed into the shapes of skulls and gifted to both the living and the dead.

Mexico’s world-famous resorts offer nightlife, fine dining, and many other modern amenities, but if you are looking to take a step back in time to an earlier civilization, plan a trip to the Tulum ruins. The ancient remnants offer visitors a maze of discoveries as they wander through what was once a thriving seaport.

Mayan ruins at Tulum

Tulum was a Mayan city located about 40 miles south of Playa del Carmen and 80 miles south of what is now Cancun. The modern luxuries of Cancun stand in contrast to the nearly 1,000-year-old city, which houses the relics of the Pyramid el Castillo, or castle, and a series of temples each decorated with dedications to Mayan gods. It is believed that it may have been an important worship site for the Mayan “diving god” which had its own temple near the Castillo.

The remnants of Tulum lie at the top of 39-foot cliffs overlooking the Yucatan Peninsula at the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The town’s position as a seaport – and possibly a trading area for jade and obsidian – opened it up to invasion, so it is surrounded by a limestone wall, nearly two feet thick, on three sides. It housed 600 people inside 39 square miles of rolling hills and buildings.

This ancient seaport is exceptionally preserved, sparking visitors to imagine what life in the pre-Columbian town was like – even archaeologists are not entirely certain what civilization was like in ancient Tulum, or even who lived inside the city walls.

Tulum offers both adventure and relaxation

Visitors need not choose between tapping into their inner Indiana Jones and relaxing on the beach. Tulum features its own beach on the Caribbean, perfect for sunbathing along turquoise waters beneath the rising cliffs. Add this spot into your travel agenda and step into a well-preserved piece of history.

A lush paradise framed by the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean, Los Cabos is the go-to destination for enjoying incredible waves, world-class golf, sportfishing and adventure. The 20-mile stretch of sun-dappled beaches linking San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas boasts a wide variety of lodging options– including luxurious beach front rentals, family-friendly resorts and quaint casitas – that accommodate all tastes and budgets. And for those Cabo vacationers who really appreciate cuisine, there’s good news: the area is brimming with a colorful selection of contemporary restaurants that feature everything from wood-fired pizzas to Wagyu certified Kobe beef. Some of the world’s most renowned chefs have opened chic eateries and bistros where freshly caught seafood and authentic Mexican dishes take center stage.

Foodie travelers will have no shortage of places to wine and dine, or simply relax with a giant margarita. Here’s a small sampling of some of the best restaurants in Cabo.

Manta

Centrally located in the The Cape, A Thompson Hotel, Manta offers sublime ocean views and the tantalizing creations of Chef Enrique Olvera. If you can only visit once, order the sashimi with avocado and wasabi or the day’s fresh catch. The seafood-heavy menu is complemented by a stellar list of inventive cocktails, craft beers and wines.

Seared

This sleek steakhouse is Jean-George Vongerichten’s newest restaurant at the One & Only Palmilla resort. A glass-walled meat cellar allows diners a sneak preview of the best cuts in town, from tenderloins and succulent ribeyes to Wagyu certified Kobe beef. In the mood for something lighter? You can’t go wrong with their hamachi sashimi and spiny lobsters – grilled to perfection.

Las Guacamayas

A San Jose del Cabo favorite, this open-air eatery satisfies even the heartiest of appetites with a tempting menu of tacos al pastor, fajitas and other traditional Mexican fare. Their signature dish is aguachiles – a giant bowl heaping with grilled seafood or meat, veggies and chile peppers. Wash it all down with an expertly crafted margarita for a casual dinner on the town.

Flora’s Field Kitchen at Flora Farms

For the ultimate in farm to table cuisine, head to Flora Farms, located in the hilltops above San Jose del Cabo. Here, you can brunch al fresco while looking over the restaurant’s well-tended gardens. The menu is eclectic, but brunchers can look forward to tasty huevos rancheros , wood-fired pizzas and seasonal cocktails. The dinner menu aims to please with dishes like roasted chicken, beet carpaccio and pork trotter ravioli.

Maria Jimenez

Cabo San Lucas has dozens of tourist hotspots, but this isn’t one of them. If you’re itching to get off the beaten path and mingle with locals over some Mexican comfort food, Maria Jimenez is the place to go. The portions are huge and prices affordable, so take your cash (no credit cards accepted) and your appetite to this family-run restaurant for some of the tastiest guacamole and shrimp fajitas in town.

If you would like a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of Puerto Vallarta, consider heading a half hour north to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, or “La Cruz” as it is known in the area, for a memorable getaway. This fishing village on the Pacific Ocean’s Bahia de Banderas retains a mix of low-key local charm while offering enough attractions to keep visitors feeling welcome and entertained.

La Cruz offers quaint charm with modern amenities

Mixing quaint cobblestone streets with brightly colored buildings, La Cruz has a charming old world feel. At the same time, small off-beat shops, an outdoor theater, and plenty of restaurants (featuring locally caught fish) offer a modern excitement. Guests are entertained several times a week when live music fills the streets.

A Malecon leads the way to La Cruz’s famous Sunday farmers’ market (also known as Mercado Huanacaxtle). The market has grown to over 170 vendors, from culinary to crafty artisans. Live music from local and visiting musicians add to the festivities.

Of course, the water life is not to be overlooked. Visitors can relax on the three miles of breathtaking beaches or hop in the water for snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, or a number of other water activities. Surfing is best in the winter when the waves pick up.

A modern marina in an old world

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle is a family friendly destination that is growing in popularity as part of the area’s tourist development. A modern marina constructed in 2008 is home to local fisherman and luxury yachts alike. The marina features 340 slips and can house vessels up to 400 feet. It draws boaters from around the world who are attracted to the area’s mild weather, variety of businesses, and international eateries.

Make La Cruz a part of your Mexico vacation; its beauty and tradition will leave a lasting impression.

Need a break from Los Cabos? Take an excursion to the Hexagon Caves, just an hour from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico near the historic village of Todos Santos. This quaint section of Baja is considered a “hidden gem” that has not exploded in popularity yet, but features dozens of art galleries, miles of papaya and avocado groves, sugar cane fields and abandoned mills, untainted surf beaches, and fun cultural festivals.

Discover the Hamlet of Coroscos

Some people consider Coroscos a “semi-ghost town” because there are just 350 people living here – mostly ranchers, winemakers, and farmers whose families have been living here for five or six generations. The earliest settlers were attracted to the region by the natural underground springs that fed the fertile land. They built small irrigation canals called “acequias” and raised beef cattle, as well as goats to produce milk and cheese products. Some residents excel in furniture crafting, sandal-makng, and ceramics that are taken to the Todos Santos markets.

Tour operators in Todos Santos offer visitors unique opportunities to meet with local families and dine on authentic homemade cuisines in their adobe homes. Learn how to make cheese and tortillas from scratch with the locals and get a glimpse into what everyday life is like for rural Mexicans before spending the night in this private oasis.

A hiker’s delight

Jesuit missionaries built a mountain chapel in the 1700s, surrounded by fruits, vegetables, wine and sugar cane. It was considered an important mission settlement until the 1840s, when sugar production overtook the area. Today, you can see the remnants of these structures on a hike through Baja’s most solitary mountain range, the Sierra de la Laguna.

The Mexican government has protected the area since 1994, when they designated it a biosphere reserve and described it as an “ecological treasure-house.” Animals may be spotted along the way, including doves, herons, snakes, scorpions, mountain lion, coyote, fox, kangaroo rats, desert mule deer, gophers, badgers, butterflies and skinks. The lower elevations are home to a dry forest canyon of cacti, palms, oaks, wild figs, ironwood, and thorny trees.

The hexagonal caves is the most spectacular feature in the area. These rocks were formed 60 million years ago by extremely rare geographic conditions. Similar to the famous “Giant’s Causeway” of Ireland, the columnar joint near Coroscos and Todos Santos was formed when volcanic activity forced tectonic plates to shift and break, forcing 700-1,200 degree lava to the surface of the earth. At such high temperatures, the minerals coalesce into their natural crystal structure, which is then cooled rapidly into the hexagonally shaped Basalt pillars you see today.

Situated 900 miles south of San Diego, Los Cabos is comprised of two popular travel destinations:  Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.  In the 1950’s, the area’s pristine waters, unparalleled deep sea fishing and breathtaking scenery lured Hollywood celebrities like Bing Crosby and Desi Arnez, who flew down on chartered jets for epic fishing vacations. As word spread and infrastructure developed, Los Cabos slowly evolved into the Baja Peninsula’s biggest tourism hotspot, now attracting more than 2 million visitors each year.

Everyone hears about the sublime beaches, Technicolor sunsets and luxury resorts of Los Cabos, but few may know about the region’s colonial history and how it influenced the naming of Cabo and surrounding towns. Before the Spanish conquistadors and Jesuit missionaries arrived in Baja, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo were inhabited by the Añiñi and Yenecami – indigenous tribes whose population slowly dwindled after exposure to European diseases.

Spanish colonization of the Baja Peninsula

Owing to the region’s unforgiving conditions, Spanish colonization of the Baja Peninsula did not begin in earnest until 1730, when Father Nicolas Tamaral and Father Jose Echeverria founded a Jesuit mission in what is now called San Jose del Cabo. The Jesuits, who were backed by Spanish soldiers, were tasked with converting the indigenous communities, as they worked to establish churches, schools and hospitals in the region. Father Nicolas Tamaral founded the San Jose del Cabo mission on April 8 of 1730 in Pericu territory. It was named in honor of Joseph de la Puente y Peña, Marquess of Villapuente, who was the main sponsor of Jesuit missions in the Baja Peninsula. Later, “del Cabo” was added to differentiate the mission from San Jose de Comondu, which was erected several years earlier.

During the early to mid 18^th century, the Spanish Jesuits formed a number of missions along the Baja Peninsula, including: Mision de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Concho, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de la Paz (1733) and Mision Estero de las Palmas de San José del Cabo Añuiti (1730). The mission Santa Rosa de las Palmas, founded by Jesuit Jaime Bravo in 1723, was renamed “Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz” one year later, and is now called Todos Santos. The iconic statue of the Virgin of Pilar, which is the focus of Todos Santos’ annual November festival, can be found near the town’s central plaza.

Cabo’s rich history today

Fortunately, visitors to Los Cabos can still enjoy the region’s charming Spanish colonial architecture and character, evidenced by romantic courtyards and picturesque streets framing traditional plazas. Today’s Cabo vacationers are also welcomed with a slew of inviting leisure and adventure activities, including sunset sails in the Sea of Cortez, golfing, snorkeling and scuba diving, zip-line canopy tours and dolphin swims.

In honor of summer’s most sumptuous fruit, Todos Santos celebrates in true Baja style with a chivalrous horse parade, live music, dancing, artisan products and, of course, heaps of mouthwatering mango dishes. The Todos Santos Mango Festival attracts locals and tourists alike who flock to this iconic cultural event, now in its ninth year.

Todos Santos is a picturesque coastal village, about an hour’s drive north of Los Cabos. Like its quiet neighbor Santiago, the town has escaped tourist crowds except for three days each summer when resident vendors and artists pay homage to the sweet and succulent mango. Festival dates vary each year, but usually fall around the end of July, when the mango harvest is ready.

Mango Festival events & activities in Baja

The annual Mango Festival promises lots of family fun, delicious eats and opportunities to see local chefs churn out a smorgasbord of tempting confections that feature this marvelous fruit. Festival goers can even watch a demonstration on preparing “mangate,” a delectable mango dessert that is popular around the Baja Peninsula.

Celebrations are centered around Barrio San Ignacio, an area famous for its juicy, oversized mangoes. The three-day festivities include dancing in the town square, foot races, games, folkloric ballet performances and other displays of traditional life in Todos Santos. The cabalgata (horse parade) is one of the festival’s most anticipated events, showcasing the region’s beautiful steeds and riders adorned in their finest attire.  If that weren’t spectacle enough, a new Mango Fest Queen is crowned each year!

Visitors to the festival can enjoy dozens of ways to sample the “King of Tropical Fruit” with an amazing selection of mango-themed snacks, desserts and gourmet dishes. This juicy gastronomic event makes for a wonderful day trip from Los Cabos, while providing a glimpse into the culture and traditions of its people.

 

Bring your kids and your appetite to this three-day fiesta of blissful mango worship in Todos Santos!