Mexican Christmas: Traditions and Recipes to Try in the UK

Christmas the Mexican Way

Mexican Christmas celebrations are among the most vibrant and food-centred in the world. Beginning on 16th December and extending beyond New Year to 6th January (Dia de Reyes), the Mexican holiday season is a marathon of celebrations, processions, music and, above all, extraordinary food.

Whether you are a Mexican living in the UK missing the tastes of home, or a Briton curious about Mexican Christmas traditions, this guide will help you bring some of that warmth and flavour to your British December.

The Posadas: Nine Nights of Celebration

Las Posadas are a series of processions and parties held on nine consecutive nights from 16th to 24th December. They re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter (posada) in Bethlehem. Each night, a procession moves from house to house, singing traditional songs, until they are "let in" to one home where a party awaits.

Every posada features traditional food and drink: tamales, bubuelos (fried dough fritters), ponche navideo (Christmas punch) and, of course, a piata for the children. The atmosphere is warm, communal and joyful.

In the UK, the Mexican community organises posadas in London, Manchester and other cities. Check community groups and the Mexican Embassy's cultural programme for events near you.

Noche Buena: Christmas Eve

The biggest celebration of the Mexican Christmas season falls on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. Families gather for a late-night feast that typically begins around 9 or 10pm and extends past midnight. The centrepiece is almost always turkey or bacalao (salt cod), surrounded by an array of side dishes, salads and desserts.

Traditional Noche Buena Menu

• Pavo navideno: Roast turkey, often stuffed with a mixture of minced pork, fruits, nuts and spices
• Bacalao a la Vizcaina: Salt cod cooked in a rich tomato sauce with olives, capers and potatoes
• Romeritos: A wild green herb cooked with mole and dried shrimp patties (nopales)
• Ensalada de Nochebuena: A colourful salad of beetroot, apple, orange, jicama and pomegranate
• Tamales: In numerous varieties, from savoury to sweet
• Ponche navideo: Warm fruit punch with cinnamon, piloncillo and seasonal fruits

Recipes You Can Make in the UK

Ponche Navideno (Mexican Christmas Punch)

This warm, spiced fruit punch is the quintessential drink of Mexican Christmas. It fills the house with the most wonderful aroma and can be made with or without alcohol.

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

• 2 litres water
• 200g piloncillo or dark muscovado sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 guavas, quartered (or 2 pears as substitute)
• 2 apples, cut into chunks
• 200g prunes
• 3 whole star anise
• 100g dried hibiscus flowers (jamaica, available from health food shops or online)
• 2 sugar cane sticks, peeled and cut into pieces (available from some Tesco and Morrisons stores, or from Caribbean shops)
• Optional: a generous splash of rum, brandy or tequila per cup

Method

1. Bring the water to a boil with the piloncillo and cinnamon sticks, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the guavas (or pears), apples, prunes, star anise, hibiscus and sugar cane.
3. Simmer gently for 30-40 minutes until the fruits are soft and the liquid is deeply flavoured and a beautiful deep red colour.
4. Serve hot in mugs, spooning some of the cooked fruit into each cup. Add spirits if desired.

Ensalada de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Salad)

This vibrantly coloured salad represents the colours of Christmas: red, green and white. It is refreshing, festive and utterly unlike any British Christmas side dish.

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 3 medium beetroots, cooked and diced
• 2 green apples, diced
• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate
• 100g pecan halves
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 150g iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 100ml mayonnaise mixed with 50ml soured cream
• Sugar and salt to taste

Method

1. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter.
2. Layer the beetroot, apple, orange segments, banana and pecans on top.
3. Drizzle with the mayonnaise-cream mixture.
4. Scatter the pomegranate seeds over everything for a beautiful finish.

Simple Tamales

Tamales are labour-intensive but deeply rewarding, especially as a communal cooking project. A tamalada (tamale-making party) is a wonderful way to spend a December afternoon with friends and family.

Ingredients (makes 20-24)

• 500g masa harina
• 200g lard or butter, at room temperature
• 350ml warm chicken stock
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 packet dried corn husks (available from Mexican ingredient shops online)
• For filling: shredded chicken mixed with salsa roja, or refried beans with cheese

Method

1. Soak the corn husks in warm water for at least 1 hour until pliable.
2. Beat the lard or butter until light and fluffy (5 minutes with an electric mixer).
3. Gradually add the masa harina, stock, baking powder and salt, beating until the dough is light and spreadable.
4. Spread a thin layer of dough onto a corn husk, leaving borders. Add a spoonful of filling down the centre.
5. Fold the sides of the husk over the filling, then fold the narrow end up. Tie with a thin strip of corn husk if needed.
6. Stand the tamales upright in a steamer basket (open end up). Steam for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
7. They are done when the dough pulls away cleanly from the husk.

Rosca de Reyes: 6th January

The Mexican Christmas season does not end on 25th December. On 6th January, Dia de Reyes (Three Kings Day), families share a Rosca de Reyes, a ring-shaped sweet bread decorated with dried fruits and sugar. Hidden inside is a small plastic figure of baby Jesus. Whoever finds the figure in their slice must host a party on 2nd February (Dia de la Candelaria) and bring tamales for everyone.

Several Mexican bakeries in London now make Roscas de Reyes for the January celebration. Check with your local Mexican shops in early January for availability.

Bringing Mexican Christmas to Your British Home

You do not need to replicate an entire Mexican Christmas to enjoy its flavours. Even adding one or two elements to your British Christmas celebration can be magical:

• Serve ponche navideno alongside your usual mulled wine
• Add the Christmas Eve salad to your Boxing Day buffet
• Make tamales as a fun Christmas Eve activity with family
• Swap mince pies for bubuelos with cinnamon sugar
• Play traditional Mexican Christmas music (villancicos mexicanos) alongside your usual carols

For more seasonal recipes and ideas, explore our recipe collection. Find the specialist ingredients you need from our UK Mexican shops directory, and discover Mexican restaurants that offer special Christmas menus.