How to Spend Christmas and New Years in Mexico City

The festivities in Mexico City really start on December 12, the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. At Guadalupe’s shrine in the city’s Basilicia, you will find pilgrims who travel from across the country and the world to get a glimpse at her image and pray for blessings on their upcoming year. Las Mañanitas, the Mexican birthday song is sung to the Virgin at midnight, and dances and music are held in the plaza in front of the Basilica all day long. Neighborhoods also celebrate with a midnight birthday song to the virgin, but these are much more intimate events.

Book one of these special Christmas tours to make the most of your festive trips to Mexico.

From December 16 until Christmas Eve, the posadas are held, meant to represent the journey of Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the birth of Christ. Groups of neighbors go door to door, singing songs and asking for shelter, and people host parties in their homes with food, piñatas, toys for the kids, and lots of alcohol for the adults. Outside of every neighborhood, holiday markets spring up selling Christmas trees and food. The city’s most fantastic Christmas tianguis is outside of the Jamaica Market where you will find items for your nativity scene, Christmas trees, and massive piñatas for your posada or holiday party.

Downtown in the city’s main plaza, the zocalo, a giant Christmas tree is erected and a skating rink is laid down for the month. Because of the massive numbers of skaters in the city that want to have a go, you do have to take a number and wait for your turn, but ice skating atop of the ruins of the majestic Aztec capital is quite an experience. Although Mexico City doesn’t get particularly cold for the holidays, there is enough of a chill in the air for a sweater and hot chocolate, and many street musicians in the Centro play Christmas Carols as you pass.

These Mexico City Christmas tours will show you the best of the festive season in the Mexican capital.

Most restaurants are closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but open the rest of the holiday season, so check ahead if you want to go somewhere specifically, but the holidays are still a great time to take a food tour or trip out to Teotihuacan—most tour companies and private guides are open for business during this time. Check museum hours as well as they vary as the big day approaches.

Get a real taste of life in Mexico City with these delicious food tours.

For New Years there are lots of clubs and bars that have end-of-year parties and celebrations, as well as restaurants with set menus for the night that you must reserve at least several weeks in advance, so plan ahead. The rooftop bars in the Centro Historico are some of the best places to be when the clock strikes midnight.

This annual winter tradition has been going strong for nigh on 60 years, and it doesn’t show any sign of stopping this year. While Independence Day calls for tinsel, Christmas calls for string upon string of vivid Christmas lights that form ornate mosaics and patterns on some of the city’s biggest and best buildings which surround the central square. But the show stopping centrepiece to all this Christmas cheer is the towering árbol de Navidad which takes a starring role throughout December in the zocalo.

If you’re looking for a festive way to ring in the Christmas period that’s a little more Mexican, then perhaps the Ballet Folklórico de México would be more to your taste. This legendary and enormous dance troupe of highly talented performers dedicate themselves to maintaining the tradition of Mexican folk dance, music and dress, albeit with contemporary twists. This year they’re hosting performances right up until December 23rd, but again, get tickets quick before they sell out.

These cultural experiences will show off the best of Mexico’s unique customs and traditions.

A famously floral region, Xochimilco makes for one of the best spots to pick up the flower most heavily associated with the festive season in Mexico – the poinsettia (or flor de nochebuena). Buy a few pots of the striking red flower to dot around your house and get you in the mood for Santa’s arrival or even just wander through one of Mexico City’s most historic (and UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised) neighbourhoods. The best spots to do some nochebuena shopping are the Mercado de Cuemanco, the Corredor de Viveros and the Palacio de la Flor.

Book one of these shopping trips to enjoy some Mexican retail therapy.

La Rambla sandwich shop in downtown Mexico City is the perfect place to try out one of the country’s favoured Christmas dishes; bacalao (cod). This typically festive dish is actually served all-year round at this quaint and long-standing lonchería, although taste testing it at Christmas is arguably the ideal time. If fish doesn’t scream Christmas to you, they also offer tortas de pavo (turkey sandwiches) too. Either way, after a visit to La Rambla, you’ll be in a decidedly festive mood.