What Are Major Holidays or Festivals of Mexico?

Statutory holidays in México (known here in Mexico as “feriados” or “días de

asueto”) are legislated through the federal government and ruled by the Federal
Labor Law (Ley Federal del Trabajo). Think of them like you would federal or bank
holidays in the United States. Most public and private employees are entitled to take
off statutory holidays — with regular pay. Some employers, though, may require
work those days. In that case, they would be required to pay the regular salary plus
double time, again much as one would expect in the United States. When a statutory
holiday falls on a Sunday, Monday is considered a statutory holiday; if a statutory
holiday falls on Saturday, Friday will be considered a statutory holiday.

The fiesta is a Mexican art form that takes celebration to a level that is impossible to
ignore or to resist. Street theater and music, parades and fireworks, colorful
costumes, food and laughter combine to make religious observances, cultural festivals
and patriotic holidays uniquely Mexican. No visitor to Mexico should miss an
opportunity to join in the spirit of fiesta, and, thankfully, the country's calendar is
packed with holiday events.

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is celebrated across Mexico, with each region stamping its own
cultural mark on the observance. On All Saints Day, Nov. 1, small children who have
died are honored as "angelitos," little angels. The next day, All Souls Day, is the day
set aside for remembering older family members, friends, even the famous who have
passed away. Family altars or public displays are set up and decorated with
photographs, mementos and "ofrendas"--offerings of food, refreshments and
symbolic gifts. In some regions, families hold vigils and feasts at the cemetery, while in
other regions, candy skeletons or pan de muerto, a sweet bread, are consumed
Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated throughout the Americasand combines
ancient Indigenous traditions and modern fanfare. It is a whimsical and yet serious
holiday that primarily takes place between October 31st and November 2nd.
Mexico may have the most spectacular festivals in the hemisphere. Well known are
festivities in Oaxaca, Michoacán, and Mexico City.

Understanding
Day of the Dead is literally a world away from Halloween and has more in common
with the holiday of Thanksgiving as celebrated in Canada and the USA. For many
Mexicans — and particularly Oaxacans — Day of the Dead is the favorite holiday of
the year, easily surpassing Christmas.
The dead are not remembered or commemorated. Instead they are considered
present. This is a celebration with the dead, not of the dead.
Love rules the holiday as families believe that the souls of the departed return to visit
living relatives. There is an abundance of food and drink, the favorites of the
deceased.
Family altars are vibrant and showcase the love for deceased. The living shower the
deceased with food and presents and decorate the graves and recount their stories of
their loved ones. Yellow is the most visible color on the altars decorated with bright
marigold flowers (cempasúchil, see photo). A symbolic buffet of favorite food and
drinks serves the deceased. Trails of marigolds lead like runways to guide spirits
home back to their loved ones. The distinctive scent of marigolds are said to attract
the dead. Other flowers include Flor de Muerto and Cresta de Gallo (Cockscomb).
Altars have candles that are important for their light and their smoke. Copal – the sap
from the tree also used to make alebrijes – is burned for a sweet incense.

Harvest
Day of the Dead coincides with harvest time. The rainy season ends at the close of the
hurricane season and farmers share their bounty.

Crafts and Food

Many foreigners are introduced to Day of the Dead via handicrafts, including paper
mache skeletons (calacas) and candy skulls. Sweets and candy skulls are traditionally
intended for the souls of departed children, who return to earth in the late afternoon
of October 31.
Day of the Dead Bread (Pan de muertos) is decorated with strips of dough which
appear like human bones. Bread is one of the centerpiece items on every altar. Extra
loaves are shared with mortal guests.
Another traditional dish is the calabaza en tacha, cooked squash sweetened with
cinnamon and brown sugar (see photo).

Oaxaca
In Oaxaca, Day of the Dead is one of the biggest holidays of the year. Tours to nearby
villages are conducted with respect. Travel guides and hotels arrange guided trips for
guests and friends to local cemeteries. For those seeking guided tours in English,
check out the Oaxaca Wiki.

Michoacán
One of the most famous celebrations takes place on the island of Janitzio in Lake
Pátzcuaro.
At night, boats are decorated with candles and flowers, loaded with local villagers and
visitors who are taken to the island’s cemetery. There they spend the night,
summoning back the dead in celebration. There are times when the number of
travelers exceeds the comfort for all.

Mexico City
Dead of the Dead altars are a focal point of many museums and public spaces. Among
the most noted places to visit are the Diego Rivera Museum and the Popular Culture
Museum in Coyoacan. In the southern part of the city, there is a famous celebration in
the village of San Andrés Mixquic. Locals go to the graves early on September 16th to
invite loved ones to the Muertos reunion.

Mexico State
Toluca hosts the annual Feria del alfeñique which celebrates the art of making candy
skulls.

Guanajuato
Day of the Dead is celebrated with a special touch at Guanajuato City’s Mummy
Museum.

A Few Words about Jose Guadalupe Posada

Mexican artist and printmaker José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) used the skeleton
image to comment on social inequities of his time.
Posada produced more than 900 illustrations and the most famous invariably include
costumed calaveras(skeletons). His most famous drawings is that of La Catrina, an
elegant lady with a feathered hat. Politicians and other legendary figures were
parodied in this satirical fashion.

In the Cemeteries

In ancient times, people were buried close to their family homes and there was no
need to have separate grave decorations and home altars, these were together in one
place. Now that the dead are buried away from their homes, graves are
decorated with the idea that the dead return there first. In some villages, flower petals
are laid in paths from the cemetery to the home so that the spirits will be able to find
their way. In some communities, it is customary to spend the whole night in the
cemetery, and people make a party of it, having a picnic supper, playing music,
talking and drinking through the night.

Offerings for the Spirits

The spirits are greeted with offerings of special foods and things that they enjoyed
when they were alive.

These are laid out on an altar in the family home. It is believed that the spirits
consume the essence and the aroma of the foods that are offered. When the spirits
depart, the living consumes the food and share it with their family, friends, and
neighbors.

Other items that are placed on the altar include sugar skulls, often with the person's
name inscribed on the top, pan de Muertos, a special bread that is made especially for
the season, and cempasuchil (marigolds) which bloom at this time of year and lend a
special fragrance to the altar