Tired of the overdone and overcommercialized Christmas celebration each year? Mexico may be your best destination.
Christmas Celebrations at the Zocalo in Mexico City
Story by Jim Foreman
Growing up in the USA, it was common to hear Jose Feliciano’s Christmas hit, ‘Feliz Navidad’ as part of the usual lineup of music, during the holidays.
Right now, you’re probably hearing that song’s melody in your head.
Beyond that, few Americans and Canadians truly understand the Christmas traditions in Mexico and how they are quite different from celebrations back home.
Of course, with an ever-increasing ex-pat population in certain regions, and the globalization of holidays, many Mexicans are melding and celebrating with a ‘Gringo’ edge. That’s OK. American’s have also adopted several Mexican traditions including the Spanish greeting and the Poinsettia plant as a symbol of the festive season.
Being in Mexico during the Christmas season is magical.
Largely gone is the over-commercialization of the season. Instead, visitors will see a celebration more rooted in tradition.
Mexico’s Christmas or Navidad celebrations largely originated in Spain. Given Mexico’s diverse culture and pre-Hispanic cultures, many of those traditions have morphed or evolved in a uniquely Mexican way.
Of course, as the many regions of Mexico are unique, so are the flavors of those celebrations.
Christmas is celebrated in Mexico from December 12th to January 6th. There is a crescendo of the celebrations on Christmas Eve, December 24th. This dates back to Europe, long before Christmas was ever introduced to the ‘new world.’
Now, you math wizards are probably just now figuring out where the ’12 Days of Christmas’ originates.
In Mexico, the Christmas season starts with nativity scenes placed in public and private displays. It’s nearly impossible to find a home without one in place. Nativity displays can be simple or elaborate. Some are small, sitting on a shelf or table, while others are life sized, occupying a whole room or display outdoors.
Also beginning December 12th, children gather each night to do the Posada procession (Posada means Inn or Hotel in Spanish). They carry a candle and clay figurines of Mary and Joseph from home to home, singing songs. The songs are mostly relating to Mary and Joseph seeking a place to stay.
The children are told, ‘there is no room,’ at each place. The final Posada welcomes the people in, and the party begins in earnest. A figure of the baby Jesus is placed in a manger. That home is host to food, games, and often fireworks. Piñatas are one of the most common games played.
This goes on, each night until Christmas Eve (Noche Buena).
Afterwards, people go to a midnight mass and usually celebrate with more fireworks.
As a visitor, you can watch and enjoy the celebrations from any town centro as that will be where the focus of the holidays are typically happening.
Nacimiento or a Nativity scene is the dominant decoration in celebrating Christmas. Of course, Christmas Trees are becoming more and more popular throughout Mexico, too.
In some northern Mexican states, children are taught the tradition of Santa Claus. While this phenomenon is slowly growing in Mexico, it’s still not the dominant celebration.
December 28th, marks “Los Santos Inocentes” (Day of the Innocent Saints). Originating in Spain and Portugal, it’s celebrated much like Americans celebrate April Fool’s Day. Despite the playful nature, it has a very grim undertone. This is regarded as the day King Herrod had all Male babies under a year old killed in the desire to keep his reign from what was prophesied to him about a new ‘King’ being born.
For much of Mexico, January 6th (the Epiphany) is when children receive gifts. This is a representation of when the three Wise Men arrived, bearing gifts. If there was a Gringo style ‘Santa Claus” celebration with gift-giving on Christmas Day, candies and small treats are given to the kids. Otherwise, this is the day when all of their good deeds for the year earn them their gifts. In Mexico, Children are told that the gifts the receive came from either Santo Clós or El Niñito Dios (Baby Jesus).
Rosca de Reyes with the figure of Baby Jesus
It’s also a common tradition to eat Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings Cake) on January 6th. A small figure of baby Jesus gets baked into the cake.
Whoever gets the figure in their piece of cake becomes the honorary godparent of Jesus that year.
Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria in Veracruz
February 2nd wraps up a final Christmas celebration. It’s the Virgen de la Candelaria (Virgin of the candles). Other countries call it the ‘Candlemass.’
Whether or not you celebrate Christ’s birthday or consider yourself faithful, it’s a season of good cheer, wonderful traditions, and celebrations. Join in and be a part of the Mexican culture.
Many Americans and Canadians are drawn to Mexico’s warmth during the holiday season. Getting to Mexico in your car is very easy. If it’s your first time, you can find out the details of what you need to bring and what to expect. Make sure to check Mexican insurance policy rates before leaving. It’s easy to quote, buy, and print quality coverage at Mexican Insurance Store.
Consider the best Mexican insurance policy available for driving in Mexico.
Each year over thirty-five million people visit Mexico. It’s not difficult to understand why. The beaches are some of the best in the world accompanied by spectacular warm weather during the traditional months. A vast majority of visitors choose to either fly or take a cruise ship to Mexico. Despite that, there is a growing number of people who are choosing to drive down from the US or Canada to visit Mexico. The reasons are obvious, including cost savings. Taking out the financial factor, there remains a compelling argument to make your next visit an overland visit to Mexico.
This option is not nearly as far-fetched as it may seem. Take a look at this Happiest Countries In The World’. There’s a good reason for that, but you’ll probably never discover it if you stay at a mega-resort and choose not to spend time with locals. Spanish is one of the most important languages one can learn. Being even somewhat capable in Spanish can open a tremendous world of wonderful experiences and opportunities.
4. Discover Pueblos Magicos Along The Way
This is a huge aspect that is lost when one limits themselves to a mega-resort. Pueblos Magicos are towns, cities, or villages that have unique and charming characteristics that truly deserve discovery. Many are wonderfully preserved colonial towns while others offer warmth and culture that one won’t find elsewhere. Go to Visit Pueblos Magicos to discover some Pueblos Magicos along your journey. In nearly all cases, they are worth it.
5. You Have Transportation The Entire Time
When you fly or take a cruise ship, one thing becomes immediately obvious. You are entirely dependent on expensive shuttles, taxis, or organized tours. When you drive your own vehicle, you can go anywhere, any time you wish without having to worry about departure times, bus numbers, or leaving a destination sooner than you wanted. You can also move on if you decide the place you’re staying isn’t ideal for you. Renting a car may seem like a good idea at first, especially for $10 – $15 per day, but you are forced at the counter to purchase insurance at $35 – $40 per day too and this adds up fast.
6. Street Tacos and Authentic Food
This really must not be understated. The food is something wonderful. Far beyond what most gringos equate to Mexican food, a culinary paradise is at your fingertips when you explore regions overland. Whether it’s a street vendor offering up Horchata con Coco (a delicious drink) or a vendor serving ceviche or coctels mariscos, you are guaranteed some excellent and memorable eating at a drastically reduced price over what you pay in common tourist areas.
There are many more reasons to choose an Overlanding adventure. Naturally, there are some guidelines and legal requirements you must pay mind to drive your car, motorcycle, or RV into Mexico. You can learn about them in this award-winning article detailing what’s required and how to safely and successfully travel in Mexico. Additionally, please read this important story about Safety and Mexico to better understand the realities and realistic expectations of traveling.
As you can probably guess, it’s quite fun and easy to travel in your own car in Mexico. All you need is a destination, your Passport, and a Mexican Insurance Policy By Mexican Insurance Store.
Beautiful smiling woman dancing while enjoying road trip with friendsyoung woman standing out of the sunroof and her partner driving car, couple on road trip.All Terrain Vehicle rider in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Tags: Mexican Insurance, Mexican insurance store, Mexico Road Trip, Travel Mexico
Who knew motorcycle riding in Mexico could be so much fun? -Tom White
Many riders are surprised by how good the motorcycle riding in Mexico is. We all know Mexico is a great country for overland travel. It’s got a well-developed highway system and wonderful cities and places to visit throughout the country.
Motorists and truckers mostly like motorcyclists and think you’re cool! Treating them with mutual respect makes for a more pleasurable journey.
Riding a motorcycle is different from riding in the USA or Canada. Americans and Canadians are sticklers for rules and right-of-way. In Mexico, driving priority is primarily based on who is bigger and who is there first.
A group of riders stopped to snap a quick photo at sunset.
While not exhaustive, these secrets will enhance your journey and increase the number of friends you make.
Wave to military vehicles, truckers, children in cars, drivers when you pass them, and of course other motorcyclists. A simple wave or better yet, a peace sign is a perfect way to demonstrate respect and mutual camaraderie. Even wave to cops. You’ll be surprised how often a wave gets you a smile and wave back.
Passing is an art in Mexico. If you are on a two-lane road and you want to pass, flick on your left-turn blinker. This lets drivers ahead know your intention. They will often pull over to the right a little bit to allow you to pass ahead. If a vehicle wishes to pass you, do the same. Move over to the right and let them.
When passing trucks, also use your left-turn blinker as you approach and pass. This alerts them you are there and keeps you visible to them. Do this even when you are in the passing lane and they are in the right lane.
Never pass trucks or vehicles on the right shoulder. This is because it’s the first place they will go to make room for emergency vehicles or to let others pass.
SLOW DOWN when approaching and within a town or city! This is very important for several reasons. There are often bus stops, gas stations, and topes (speed bumps) as you approach towns. This is also where both Policía Municipal and Policía Federal like to wait with radar guns to catch speeders. Slow it way down.
Pro Tip: Enjoy motorcycle riding in Mexico but don’t skimp on Mexican insurance. Get a Full-Coverage policy from CHUBB Platinum. The amount of coverage is phenomenal including your helmet, gear, and motorcycle accessories.
If you are at or below half of a tank, fill it up at the next gas station. The next one may be many kilometers down the road.
Take signs that read ‘Aguas’ and ‘Curva Peligrosa’ seriously. ‘Aguas’ means ‘Heads up’ or ‘Pay Attention.’ Also before many corners that are deemed ‘peligrosa,’ look for rumble strips. These can seriously affect traction and control.
Be friendly at gas stations. People will come up to you and ask the size of your engine, how much it costs, how fast it goes, and if you like Mexico. These are very typical questions and don’t feel weird about answering them. Smile and be gracious with your answers.
DO NOT RIDE AT NIGHT. This is a big one. When riding toward the end of the day, hold your hand out with three fingers showing. If the sun is at or below your fingers from the horizon, you have 15-20 minutes to find a place to stay the night. Do not try to continue. Road hazards, livestock, and in some regions, criminal activity become acute at night. Find a hotel and enjoy a good dinner.
Lane Sharing and lane filtering are OK, and drivers are typically quite good about it. Don’t abuse the privilege drivers give you to pass. Do it safely and discretely. Be sure to wave and thank the drivers who make room for you.
Drink about half a liter of water every time you stop. Many riders crash and suffer significant injuries and sometimes fatalities due to dehydration. A simple way to tell if you are properly hydrated is that you need to use the restroom at each stop and your urine is a light color. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are.
If you see a rider on the side of the road or a motorist in need, stop if it is safe, to offer help. There may not be mobile reception, and you may be the angel of the day. They will stop for you if you are in trouble, too.
When motorcycle riding in Mexico, keep your chin up and always scan in the distance. Look for hazards, errant drivers, debris, accidents, and animals. Doing so will give you plenty of time to take evasive action and not become a bigger problem. Be careful not to daydream when riding.
If you have them, flash your emergency lights to let other drivers or riders know of oncoming hazards or sudden stops. Flashing your brake light also works to alert drivers.
In windy curving roads and especially blind corners, take it easy and stay to the right. Large vehicles including buses and trucks will take those corners wide. Give yourself plenty of time and options to remain safe and happy.
Again, this is not an exhaustive list, but this should give you an excellent primer on riding safely and enjoyably in Mexico.
Some time ago a group of friends decided to enjoy Chinese Food together. At the end of the meal as the check arrived, the most outspoken and perhaps the most attractive friend grabbed her fortune cookie and stood up.
She pronounced that everyone had to add the words ‘in bed’ after every fortune. One by one, we all read aloud our fortunes with the additional fun words.
Today it seems whenever you try to plan a trip down south, some news report comes out. Don’t go this week, the US State Department just issue another warning! The cheeky nerve… Who are these people at the State Department and have any of them even traveled to Mexico?
Go ahead and click on the link. The first thing you’ll notice is these warnings nearly always specify US Personnel. This means US Government employees. In particular, the warnings mostly refer to US Embassy and Consulate employees and Anti-Drug officials.
One must chuckle at the line, “U.S. government personnel are prohibited from patronizing adult clubs and gambling establishments in the states of Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Colima, and Nayarit.” It’s seemingly okay for US Government personnel to patronize ‘Adult Clubs’ (legal brothels) in other states of Mexico.
The more important line to take from all of this is, “There is no evidence criminal organizations have targeted U.S. citizens based on their nationality.”
For many readers and travelers to Mexico, this is all common sense. However, for those who sell gear, also known as the news media, this will add to the ignorant indignation.
Foolish ‘American Traveler’ naiveté causes many to take regrettable and ridiculous actions at home and while traveling. Later these same folks dare to complain when something does go wrong and blame everyone else for their complete lack of common sense or reason.
Let’s make this perfectly clear. Follow these simple guidelines to enjoy the amazing Mexican culture.
You should not travel at night. Be off the road before dusk, and don’t mess with this one.
Don’t wear shirts with a large ‘DEA’ printed on them.
Don’t get gas or visit an ATM at night. Do you do this at home?
Don’t be a loud, obnoxious, overly complaining boor. Ever! Whether traveling or not.
Seriously, be aware of the ever-changing situation in Mexico. Talk to people who have recently (within the last 3-4 months) been there. Get their perspective. Don’t rely on people who have never been or only have anecdotal stories about their brother’s friend who, for no reason wound up in a Mexican jail.
Because of this, it’s wise to avoid sensational or out-of-date info from the news media, TV shows, movies, pulp thrillers and especially Facebook and what passes for news on the internet. Remember, the ‘News’ is not there to inform you. Above all, its sole purpose is to keep you angry and afraid. Watch 20 minutes of any newscast and then see how you’re feeling. When one is angry and afraid, one can be manipulated into believing or doing anything, no matter how abhorrent.
Why You Should Buy Mexico insurance coverage for driving.
You need to have a valid policy from a Mexican insurance company. You can get this coverage from MexicanInsuranceStore.com.
Some insurers in the US and Canada provide limited protection for Mexico. They may cover physical damage to 25 miles from the border. Your domestic insurance can not extend liability coverage to you. US and Canadian liability coverage is invalid in Mexico. If a car accident happens and you are found to be at fault, it can be really hard.
In Mexico, it is required that all drivers have car insurance. The minimum protection is liability-only. Get full coverage unless your car, motorcycle, or RV is over 20 years old. The best advice is to match your US or Canadian insurance when buying Mexican Insurance. This way, your risk remains the same.
A Liability Only Mexican insurance policy will only cover the damage you cause to other people or property.
Mexico is a warm and wonderful place to visit offering some of the best beaches, weather, culture, and hospitality anywhere in the world. More than 15 Million people visit Mexico each year with nothing but sunburn and great stories. Few places in the world offer all the benefits that Mexico does.
Going back to the story about the Chinese food fortune cookies with friends, add the words, “If you’re involved in the drug trade” to the travel warnings to get an accurate perspective.
While exotic carries a connotation of luxury and lushness in a travel context, there are different variations on this idea for the Mexico traveler. You might view beaches as being exotic because of the quality of the waters and sands or because of the types of resorts positioned nearby. You may view jungle destinations in Mexico as exotic as well. Some would classify colonial settings as being exotic. Regardless of your definition and preferences, a drive to any of these destinations requires that you have authentic Mexican car insurance online. Remember, your Mexico car insurance is valid throughout the entire nation.
Limited time: Where to go for an exotic getaway
Travel by air allows you to reach a wide variety of exotic Mexico destinations rather quickly. But when you drive, it can take days to get to those places. For a driving vacation that will be short, you need some more northern solutions. With your Mexico car insurance in place, you could consider the tourist community of Rocky Point in Sonora for a resort area that caters to tourists and provides excellent water activities and superior amenities and services.
You could also consider the beaches of Baja Norte, including Rosarito, Ensenada, and the rural areas of the San Quintín Valley. These rural beaches can be some of the most beautiful. And they tend to be lightly populated, great for the individual who doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by other tourists. Explore some of the more rugged beach formations south of the valley for some great photography opportunities. You can also look to San Pedro Martír for great mountain experiences in Baja Norte.
Mexican car insurance online
Widen Your Options When Selecting Mexico Car Insurance
It’s easy to figure that for a short trip, you need just a small amount of Mexico car insurance. However, a border state in Mexico could have high requirements in terms of damages owed. This is especially true during a serious or even deadly accident. The obligation of an individual causing death in an auto accident in Baja Norte can be many times higher than the obligation in a similar accident in Sonora. The research recommended limits for your policy to ensure that you have adequate coverage before you go.
Mexican car insurance online from Mexican Insurance Store can be purchased on an iPhone!
Mexico Insurance – Driving Risks to Avoid South of the Border
A harmless effort to improve your young driver’s skills during vacation could be devastating if an accident occurs. Your Mexico insurance has certain limitations in usage, which can lead to serious problems if you don’t familiarize yourself with the terms of use. In most settings, driving is relatively safe. However, there are some risks that can nullify Mexican insurance for vacation and leave you facing unfortunate consequences. It is wise to be familiar with your coverage before you leave to ensure that you don’t have any unpleasant outcomes based on a lack of understanding.
Driving Age for Mexican Insurance for Vacation
Your selection of Mexican insurance for vacation should be based on accurate values for your vehicle and an accurate selection of your destination. Your Mexico insurance is valid throughout the nation for an unlimited number of drivers. However, any driver operating your vehicle must be legally licensed. Further, drivers under the age of 21 are not covered. An accident can lead to expensive consequences if an underage or illegal driver was behind the wheel. Take time to review the terms of your Mexico insurance to ensure that you don’t take any unnecessary risks.
Alcohol and Driving
A DUI can land you in serious legal trouble whether you are in an accident or not. However, a DUI wreck could cause the cancellation of your Mexican insurance for vacation. It is wise to select a designated driver if there will be any need to drive after consuming alcoholic beverages.
Off-Road Limits
Off-road driving activity is not valid under your car insurance for Mexico, and an off-road accident could lead to the cancellation of your policy. You may have questions about certain roads as you travel because there are so many dirt roads in rural communities. However, your worry is not connected to well-established roads. Rather, examples of off-road activity would include situations such as driving through a field or along the beach. Although these can be tempting routes for exploration, getting stuck in the sand, water, or another situation could leave you without much help from your Mexico insurance.
Mexico insurance from MexicanInsuranceStore.com features Roadside Assistance with every policy for your peace of mind!
Driving Risks to Avoid South of the Border and Mexico insurance
Also beginning December 12th, children gather each night to do the Posada procession (Posada means Inn or Hotel in Spanish). They carry a candle and clay figurines of Mary and Joseph from home to home, singing songs. The songs are mostly relating to Mary and Joseph seeking a place to stay.
