Tradiciones Festivas Mexicanas - Holiday Traditions from Mexico

As the monarch butterflies are completing their migration into Mexico, the first graders are taking a closer look at some holiday traditions that happen in Mexico.  The winter holiday season begins on December 16 with las posadas (the inns) and is celebrated through January 6th, dia de los tres Reyes, Three Kings Day. After reading the story of las posadas by Tomie de Paola, the first graders reenacted the processions that take place to different homes, reenacting the journey taken by Mary and Joseph and ending with a great fiesta on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) at a designated home. There are special foods (many similar to our Thanksgiving foods), singing, gifts and of course a piñata for the children! This day is actually more important than Christmas and is often accompanied with fireworks. Three King's Day is of equal importance as the holiday season comes to an end.

We learned about the poinsettia, la flor de nochebuena, which we call the Christmas flower, and created our own beautiful poinsettia artwork with tissue paper and pastels. They are displayed in the classrooms and not to be missed!

Ann B.B. shared a story, Hanukkah Moon by Deborah Da Costa that looks at Hanukkah traditions as they are celebrated through a family's Mexican culture. This inspired the first graders to learn to play dreidel and make paper dreidels for the Winterfest table.

We were fortunate to have several families join us to share their holiday traditions around Christmas and Kwanzaa. We learned that different holiday cultural traditions all shared the themes of being with family, and had messages of peace and hope.

As we prepare to go out on winter break, the first graders will celebrate a joyful Mexican tradition and break open a piñata and have sweet treats in the afternoon. We send out wishes of joy and peace to all in our community as you engage in special traditions with your families and friends over the winter break.