THE 25 MOST IMPORTANT TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS OF MEXICO - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The traditions and Mexican customs have evolved over time. The culture of this country reflects the influence of other nations that have intervened during the development process of Mexico, such as Spain and the United States.

However, Mexico still preserves elements of the aboriginal cultures that originally populated this territory, which has allowed this country to maintain its cultural integrity and differentiate itself from the other nations of America.

In this sense, Mexico has a very rich history, which makes it a country full of attractions. To begin, we have the Olmec, Mayan and Aztec cultures, which once occupied the territory of Central America, whose architectural samples, the pyramids, are a mark of Mexican culture.

On the other hand, the Mexican nation was a colony of Spain from the 16th to the 19th century, which is why many aspects of Spanish culture are present in Mexico today.

List of the most extended traditions and customs of Mexico

1 - Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2 of each year. This festival is probably one of the most relevant nationally and one of the most recognized worldwide.

In this celebration, elements of pre-Columbian beliefs, Mayan and Aztec cultures, and Christian beliefs, incorporated by the Spanish during the colony, are incorporated.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead dates from pre-Columbian times and has its origin in the Aztec celebration in honor of the “lady of death” and the ancestors who have already passed away. In our days, this lady of death is known as Catrina.

The feast of the day of the dead takes place in cemeteries in Mexico, where families build altars on tombstones, while offering food to their deceased. The common elements of this day are tequila, chocolate, pan de muerto, and yellow and red flowers.

2 - La Catrina

Source: Codicegrafico / Public domain

La Catrina is an image that represents a skull created by the lithographer José Guadalupe Posada in the first decades of the 20th century. It was originally named "La Calavera Garbancera", to refer to people who were ashamed of their aboriginal roots and who preferred to adopt French customs.

Later, in 1948, the skull was taken up by Diego Rivera, who painted it in the mural "Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda Central." Likewise, Rivera gave a new name to this figure: the Catrina, a term that refers to rich people.

Thanks to this mural, La Catrina became an iconic image of Mexico. Currently, it is a symbol of the day of the dead.

3 - Revolution Day

November 20 is the day of the revolution. On this date the beginning of the Mexican revolution of 1910 is commemorated, which resulted in the overthrow of the dictator José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori.

4 - Feast of Santa Cecilia

Source: ProtoplasmaKid / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

On November 22, the day of Santa Cecilia, the Patron Saint of Musicians, is celebrated. The most outstanding party is the one that takes place in Mexico City, in which mariachis and other musicians from the north of the country and the Gulf gather in Plaza Garibaldi to carry out an open-air concert.

5 - Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

The day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a Catholic celebration that celebrates the encounter between an aborigine, Juan Diego, and the Virgin Mary. This Marian invocation is the Patron Saint of Mexico and is celebrated on December 12.

During this day, the devotees make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe, in Mexico City, to see the image of the Virgin Morena.

6 - The posadas

From December 16 until Christmas Eve, the children of Mexico participate in the processions of the posadas. During these days, young people wear costumes similar to those that would have been used during the birth of Jesus and relive the story of Mary and Joseph in search of a place where Mary can give birth.

The children go from inn to inn and in these they receive candles and illustrations from Mary and Joseph. They also go to the homes of family and friends and sing songs about Jesus and his parents. This process is repeated until they arrive at an inn that receives them, in which a small party is held with typical food and fireworks.

7 - Christmas Eve and Christmas

Altar at a mass of the rooster. Source: Abendezuch / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Christmas Eve takes place on December 24. This is a day to celebrate as a family. Some groups go to the Posada Final and then have dinner on Christmas Eve.

At midnight, fireworks are launched, bells are sounded, whistles are blown, and drums are played to announce the birth of Jesus. Shortly after midnight, families go to mass, popularly known as the mass of the rooster, to celebrate the arrival of the baby Jesus.

Later, they return to their homes and have the Christmas meal. Unlike other cultures, children do not usually receive gifts on December 25, but instead receive them on January 6, during the epiphany.

8 - Holy Innocents Day

The day of the Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28 and refers to the biblical story, according to which King Herod ordered the murder of all the male babies born in Bethlehem in order to murder the Child Jesus.

In Mexico and other Latin American countries, it is customary to make jokes to friends and family. Sometimes the media also come together and publish false and alarming news.

The three wise men. Source: No machine-readable author provided. JEDIKNIGHT1970 assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

The epiphany is celebrated on January 6. On this day the arrival of the Magi to Bethlehem is commemorated, which is why it is a Christian festival. The custom is to eat the rosca de Reyes, which is a fruit bread baked with a figure of the baby Jesus in the center

11 - Candlemas Day

Candlemas Day is celebrated on February 2. In Mexico, families come together to bring the image of the Child Jesus to the church so that it may be blessed.

This holiday is based on Jewish law, according to which newborn babies had to be presented to the temple 40 days after their birth.

On the other hand, the custom is to eat tamales during this date. The tamales are provided by the person in the family who received the figure of the baby Jesus when the rosca de Reyes was chopped.

12 - Veracruz Carnival

Source: ANGELOUX / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

In Mexico, multiple festivals take place during carnival, which are characterized by extravagant parades, dances and live music. The most important carnival in Mexico is the one in Veracruz, which lasts nine days.

May 13 - 5

Source: AthenaGabo / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

May 5 represents a memorable date in the history of Mexico. On this day in 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French forces that tried to invade the country's territory, during the battle of Puebla de Zaragoza.

It should be noted that this date is celebrated with more zeal in the United States and not in Mexico.

14 - The Morisma

Representation of the battles. Source: JJHF240597 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

La Morisma is a representation of the battles between Moors and Christians that took place in Spain during the 15th century. 2,000 people take part in this fictional battle, including "soldiers", musicians and dancers. This celebration takes place in August.

15 - Independence Day

Celebration of independence day in Mexico. Source: Reginarodes / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

On September 16, the Independence Day of Mexico is celebrated. On this day, in the year 1810, the Mexicans declared themselves independent from the Spanish regime.

16 - The piñata

Piñatas in Guanajuato. Source: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

The piñata is a papier-mâché, cardboard or clay container, decorated with colored paper and filled with candies and other snacks.

With piñatas, a children's game is made that consists of bandaging the children and hanging the piñatas from the ceiling of a house or from the branch of a tree.

The children take turns hitting the piñata with a bat until it breaks and the candies are scattered; then the participants grab all the candy they can.

The traditional Mexican piñata consists of a circumference surrounded by a series of peaks. Another of the most common figures for piñatas is a donkey. The tradition of piñatas comes from China and was brought to Italy by Marco Polo; From there, it spread to the rest of Europe and, later, the Spanish introduced this custom in Latin America.

17 - Tamales

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Tamales, along with tacos, are one of the most recognized dishes in Mexico. These are boiled cornmeal buns wrapped in corn husks, stuffed with meat or beans. They are eaten during the most important celebrations in the country: Christmas and Day of the Dead, for example.

18 - The mariachis

Source: Gerardo Gonzalez / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Mariachis are traditional musicians from Mexico. Beyond music, these represent a cultural revolution, through the use of typical costumes and instruments that summarize the essence of the Mexican people.

The songs of the mariachis, known as rancheras, talk about machismo, love, betrayal, disappointment, death and heroes.

19 - Dance of the Flyers

Source: Luisalvaz / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

The dance of the voladores or the flying stick is a dance of pre-Columbian origin that has been adapted to the current culture of Mexico.

This tradition begins with a dance and, subsequently, five participants climb a 30-meter pole. Four of these participants tie a rope and jump off the pole, while the fifth participant stays upstairs dancing and playing a flute.

20 - Quinceañera

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The quinceañera or quinceañera party is a celebration that takes place when young women turn fifteen years of age, as a way to reflect the passage from childhood to maturity.

The celebration of fifteen years in Mexico has its roots in the Aztec culture, according to which 15-year-olds were capable of fulfilling the tasks of any other adult, such as being parents.

Similarly, it was at this age that young Europeans were introduced to society, attending dances. In this sense, the quinceañera party mixes pre-Columbian and colonial aspects.

21 - Tequila

Aged tequila. Source: BrokenSphere / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Tequila is the heaviest drink in Mexico. It is distilled and fermented through the blue agave, a plant found in the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Tamaulipas.

With a powerful flavor, it has an alcohol content that ranges from 35 to 50º. It is never lacking in celebrations or to accompany meals.

22 - Mexican wrestling

Source: Secretariat of Culture Mexico City from Mexico / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Variant of wrestling. In the case of Mexico, it is very common to see wrestlers with masks with traditional drawings and intense colors. It is a sport with thousands of followers, who view it in sports venues or on television.

23 - La Guelaguetza

Source: Abraham Pacheco / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Party celebrated in honor of the Virgen del Carmen in the month of July. It stands out for the manifestation of dances, regional dances and music from the eight regions of the State of Oaxaca.

24 - Charrería

Source. Donaji Pérez / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, charreadas are a series of cowboy skills and school dressage. They are similar to American rodeos, but have their own maneuvers, rules and costumes.

25 - The soap operas

Rebel Group Source: Sérgio (Savaman) Savarese

Although for the new generations they are not so interesting, the influence of these emissions in the country over the last decades is more than evident. Productions such as María la del barrio, Rubí, Rebelde or Los rico also cry have brought the whole family together in front of the screen on a daily basis.

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Themes of interest

Traditions of Spain.

Traditions of Argentina.

Traditions of Venezuela.

References

1. The inns. Mexican Festival. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from britannica.com.
2. Christmas in Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from whychristmas.com.
3. April Fools on December 28th. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from nside-mexico.com.
4. Tamales. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from inside-mexico.com.
5. Herz, May. The Day of the Dead Offering A Work of Love and Tradition. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from inside-mexico.com.
6. Traditional Mexican Culture. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from traditional-mexican-culture.com.
7. Collins, Camille. What is the mariachi. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from mexconnect.com.
8. A Brief Introduction to Mexican Culture. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from hourtranslation.com.
9. The Culture of Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from livescience.com.
10. Catrina. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from mexican-folk-art-guide.com.
11. Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from timeanddate.com.
12. What's Fiesta de Santa Cecilia. Retrieved on April 15, 2017, from event-carnival.com.