Mexico: Every Day is a Fiesta

Almost every day is a holiday somewhere in Mexico. Mexicans love to have parties and will have a celebration for any reason (and sometimes for no reason at all). As Mexico is a Catholic nation, many of the holidays revolve around the church. In addition, there are many national and secular holidays that call for parties.

Some writers have said that the Mexican calendar is full of festivals so that people can escape the problems of everyday life. Some have said that many of the holidays are holdovers from pre-Hispanic times and represent seasonal rituals. Whatever their origin, fiestas are the spice of Mexican life.

Each town honors its patron saint on a particular day with a fiesta. Each church is dedicated to a particular saint who is honored with a parade and fiesta on a day that signifies an event in the saint's life. In addition, there are a number of religious holidays - Holy Week, Christmas, Feast of Epiphany and the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico.

Required Celebrations

In addition, a number of national and secular holidays occur that require celebrations. Some honor a particular person - Benito Juárez, Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende. Some celebrate events in Mexico's history - Constitution Day, Flag Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Independence Day. Many are specific to a certain town - Alarcon Days in Taxco to honor native playwright Juan Ruiz de Alarcon, San Miguel Day to honor the founding of San Miguel de Allende, and the International Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato.

Fiestas, regardless if they are religious or secular, always include food. Tamales, enchiladas, tacos, and fruit drinks are usually served no matter the occasion. Some holidays, though, have special foods that are only served for that holiday - Three Kings bread for Epiphany, Pan de Muertos for the Day of the Dead, Gorditas de la Virgen for the Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Chile en Nogada for Independence Day.

Fireworks

Most fiestas also included fireworks, usually beginning well before dawn on the day of the fiesta and lasting well into the night. Sometimes there are fireworks of the type cities in the United States set off on the Fourth of July - the pretty, multicolored type. More often, the "fireworks" consist of window-rattling, eardrum-popping explosions that shock you out of a sound sleep and convince you that World War III has begin in your neighborhood.

Many fiestas include parades. Some parades feature floats decorated to represent the essence of the holiday and are accompanied by a drum and trumpet band. Some parades consist of a mass of religious pilgrims carrying banners and religious statues and singing hymns with the accompaniment of a drum and trumpet band.

Music and dancing also form important parts of any fiesta. Mexicans like their music loud, so be prepared for music played at decibels levels usually only found at rock concerts in other countries. Sometimes, more than one group will be playing in the same plaza or block, both at incredibly high volumes. The participants don't seem to mind the cacophony and dance happily late into the night.

Unusual Fiestas

Some of Mexico's more unusual fiestas include Night of the Radishes in Oaxaca, El Dia del Jumil in Taxco, and the Day of the Dead, a national holiday.

Night of the Radishes occurs on Dec. 23 in Oaxaca. Radishes, which grow up to two feet long and four inches in diameter, are carved into various shapes representing traditional dancers or Nativity scenes. Judges view the carvings and the local newspaper features the winner the next day. While the public views the scenes, they eat thin, fried radish cakes covered with molasses and served in small clay dishes that much be broken after the cakes are finished.

The Day of the Jumil is celebrated on the first Monday after the Day of the Dead (Nov. 2). Jumil are small beetles that migrate to a hill outside Taxco to reproduce. They are considered great delicacies that are eaten alone or mixed with salsa. Some people even eat them alive. The people think the jumil give them energy and life for another year.

Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead is perhaps the most unusual Mexican holiday. The souls of the dead are believed to return to earth on this day. Several days prior to the holiday, people create altars in their homes dedicated to one or more of their dearly departed relatives.

The altars include pictures of the dead, favorite items that belonged to the dead, things that represent the person's profession, and the person's favorite food and drink. Flowers (usually marigolds which represent death) and candles are also placed on the altar.

A few days before the holiday, special markets are set up that sell chocolate skulls (complete with names so you can give them to your friends and family members), candy skeletons and various foods made of marzipan (to put on the altars instead of real food). These markets also sell costumes, masks, and various Halloween items ... no doubt from the influence of American television.

On Nov. 1, the souls of the dead children are honored. They are believed to have become angels automatically upon death. On the night of Nov. 1, families travel to graveyards to visit with their departed relatives. They brings the dead their favorite foods (made extra spicy in the belief that the smell will draw the person through the veil between death and life), their favorite drinks, and other items that were special to the person. The families have a picnic with their dead relatives and catch them up on the news from the past year. The mood is festive rather than somber. Sometimes there are even fireworks. Generally, the families stay with their departed relatives throughout the night.

Mexico has so many fiestas that you are almost certain to encounter one during your visit.

As I write, I hear a drum and trumpet band playing down the street. I think I'll join them.