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Holidays and celebrations in Mexico
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In Mexico, public holidays are legislated at the National, State and Municipal levels. These holidays are observed nationwide, but each state and/or city and/or region may have its own holidays as well.
Holidays
In Mexico there are 3 major kinds of holidays:
- Statutory holiday: Holidays observed nationwide and employees (private and publics) are entitled to a day off with regular pay.
- Civic holiday: These holidays are observed nationwide, but employees are not entitled to a day-off.
- Festivities: These are traditional holidays to honor religious events, such as Carnival, Holy Week, Easter, etc. or public celebrations, such as Mother's day, Father's day, Valentine's Day, etc.
Statutory holidays
Statutory holidays (referred as "feriados" or "días de asueto" in Mexico) are legislated through the Federal Government and ruled by the Federal Labor Law (Ley Federal del Trabajo)[1]. Most workers, public and private, are entitled to take the day off with regular pay. However, some employers may require employees to work on such a holiday, but the employee must be paid:
- His/Her regular salary for the statutory holiday,
- 2 times (known as "double time") the regular pay for their time worked that day
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 statutory holiday.
In addition to these dates, it is a statutory holiday the date designated by Federal and Local Electoral laws to carry on an electoral journey.
Civic holidays
Civic holidays (or "Efemérides") are nationwide holidays, mostly related with historical events or institutions, like the Independence War or the Army. These days do not entitle employees from the private or public sectors to a day-off.
| Date |
English Name |
Spanish Name |
Remarks |
| February 19 |
Army's Day |
Día del Ejército |
Celebrates the Mexican Army on the Loyalty day ("Día de la Lealtad"), when President Madero was escorted by the Cadets of the Militar College to National Palace. |
| February 24 |
Flag Day |
Día de la Bandera |
Flag Day was implemented by President Lázaro Cárdenas in 1937. Celebrates the current Flag of Mexico and honores the previous ones. |
| March 18 |
Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation |
Aniversario de la Expropiación petrolera |
Celebrates the Oil Expropriation by President Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas in 1938. |
| April 21 |
Heroic Defense of Veracruz |
Heroica Defensa de Veracruz |
Commemorates the United States occupation of Veracruz in 1914. |
| May 5 |
Cinco de Mayo |
Batalla de Puebla |
Celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army, led by Gral. Ignacio Zaragoza, against French forces in the city of Puebla, on May 5, 1862.
Also widely celebrated in the United States. US "celebration" of this Mexican historical event is largely a result of promotions in the US by liquor, beer, and bars/taverns/clubs/restaurants since the 1980s. For many years Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US promoted Cinco de Mayo as Mexican Independence Day which is actually September 16. Although Mexican citizens feel very proud of the meaning of Cinco de Mayo it is not a national holiday in Mexico, but it is an official holiday in the State of Puebla where the mentioned battle took place.
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| May 8 |
Miguel Hidalgo's birthday |
Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo |
Commemorates the birth in 1753 of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the initiator of the Mexican Independence War. |
| June 1 |
Marine's Day |
Día de la Marina |
Celebrates the Mexican Navy. |
| September 13 |
"Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets" |
Día de los Niños Héroes |
Celebrates the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican–American War of 1847. |
| September 15 |
Cry of Dolores |
Grito de Dolores |
Celebrates the Grito de Dolores, an event that marked the start of the independence war against Spain on the eve of September 16, 1810. It took place at a church chapel in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, led by a creole catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. See also Fiestas Patrias (Mexico). |
| September 27 |
End of Independence War |
Consumación de la Independencia |
Celebrates the end of the Mexican Independence War on 1821, 11 years after Father Hidalgo started it. |
| September 30 |
Morelos' birthday |
Natalicio de José Ma. Morelos y Pavón |
Commemorates the birth in 1765 of Father José María Morelos y Pavón, one of the founding fathers of the Mexican nation. |
| October 12 |
Columbus Day |
Descubrimiento de América y Día de la Raza |
Commemorates the Discovery of the Americas in 1492 by the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus. It is also celebrates La Raza. |
Festivities
| Date |
English Name |
Spanish Name |
Remarks |
| January 6 |
Epiphany |
Día de los Santos Reyes |
Celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men who came to see Jesus as a child, bringing him gifts each of them. Traditionally, kids receive toys and people buy a pastry called La rosca de reyes. If they bite in the bread and find the mini-doll, you must host a party for the Day of Candlemas (February 2). It is not an official holiday. |
| February 14 |
Valentine's Day |
Día de San Valentín |
On this day, traditionally, men give chocolates, flowers, jewelry, dinner and serenade to their special women, as well as to their female friends. It is not an official holiday. |
| April 30 |
Children's Day |
Día del Niño |
Mexicans honoring all the children, But most of all celebrates Baby Jesus throughout the countrycitation needed. It is not an official holiday. |
| May 10 |
Mother's Day |
Día de las Madres |
Mexicans honoring all the mothers throughout the country. It is not an official holiday. |
| May 15 |
Teacher's Day |
Día del Maestro |
Mexicans honoring all the teachers throughout the country. It is not an official holiday. |
| May 23 |
Student's Day |
Día del estudiante |
Mexicans honoring all the students throughout the country. It is not an official holiday. |
| Third Sunday of June |
Father's Day |
Día del Padre |
Mexicans honoring all the fathers throughout the country. It is not an official holiday. |
| November 1 |
All Saints' Day (Day of the Dead) |
Día de Todos los Santos |
Mexicans honor their dead relatives and/or friends (who were less than 18 years of age and unmarried) with candles, food & flower offerings, altars, and pre-Hispanic and Christian rituals. It is not an official holiday. |
| November 2 |
All Souls' Day (Day of the Dead) |
Dia de los Fieles Difuntos |
Mexicans honor their dead relatives and/or friends (who were more than 18 years of age and married) with candles, food & flower offerings, altars, and pre-Hispanic and Christian rituals. It is not an official holiday. |
| December 12 |
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe |
Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe |
Celebrates the day that Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Tepeyac hill to the native Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. It is not an official holiday. |
| December 12-24 |
The Inns |
Las Posadas |
Celebrates Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem. Consists of candlelight processions as well as stops at various nativity scenes. |
| December 24 |
Christmas Eve |
Nochebuena |
Celebrates the eve of the nativity of Jesus, as secular winter holiday. The traditional treats for this holiday are tamales and atole or champurrado. Las Posadas are celebrated nine days before Nochebuena, accompanied by a piñata party for the kids and dance music for the adults. |
| December 28 |
Day of the Innocents |
Dia de los Santos Inocentes |
On this day, people pull practical jokes on each other. It is equivalent to the U.S. version of April Fools Day (April 1). People must not believe anything that other people say, nor let them borrow any amount of money. If any person has fallen victim of the joke, the person pulling the joke will say ¡Inocente palomita...! (equivalent to saying April Fools!). |
References
External links
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