Mexico’s ambassador to Singapore, Mr Antonio Villegas, and his wife, Claudia (with their younger daughter Rosita) look forward to sharing their traditions at Christmas.

“Like most of Latin America, Mexico´s population is Catholic in its majority. Thus, Christmas is a time to be spent with the family, to celebrate life and the many gifts we have received,” he explains.

“Celebrations start one week before Christmas, to commemorate the week the Virgin Mary and her husband, José (Joseph), took to travel seeking refuge for them and the still unborn Jesus Christ, from the persecution of the Romans.”

Ambassador Villegas, who hails from Mexico City, relocated here with his wife Claudia, and daughters Rosita, 5, and Valentina, 12, in November 2009 following his previous post as Mexico’s Ambassador to Peru. So he will be no stranger to a tropical Christmas.

Sharing traditions

Nonetheless he is looking forward to “learning other traditions and sharing our own here.” Mexican traditions include throwing a posada or “seeking refuge party”. Posadas can happen every day, and often, more than one is held; there can be posadas for children, work mates, neighbours or even members of the community.

During a posada, a group, carrying images of, or dressed like the Virgin Mary and Joseph, walk in the streets holding lit candles and singing traditional Christmas carols. They then arrive at a house, and sing to the other group of people waiting for them inside, asking if they can kindly offer posada or refuge. Traditionally, they keep singing until the group inside lets them in. This signals the start of a big party, featuring typical Mexican Christmas food, dancing, and piñatas (papier-mâché sculptures) full of candies and fruits to be broken for everybody to enjoy. Meanwhile, Christmas Eve is more a family affair as everyone sits down to a very special dinner comprising different uniquely Mexican dishes. They include the likes of Romeritos with Mole (Mexican vegetables with spicy mole [moh-lay] sauce) as well as turkey (called guajolote in the Aztec language), or cod fish (bacalao).

Remembrance and thanks

There is then an exchange of presents among family members. Children receive the bulk of the presents, and are told that they were brought by ‘Baby Jesus’ while they were asleep. Overall, it is a night celebrating family, and one of remembrance and giving thanks. Ambassador Villegas, 63, strives to recreate these traditions here, but concedes that it can be difficult. “We try to have at least one close relative join us. We organise at least one posada party, including the piñata, with other fellow Mexicans or Latin American friends, and invite our host country friends to introduce them to our tradition,” he says.

“We also try, as much of possible, to prepare a dinner as authentically Mexican as possible, and keep the tradition of exchanging presents and have the children receive their additional presents from ‘Baby Jesus’. At any rate, it continues to be very much a family affair!”

Text by By Tina Wang. This article first appeared in the October-December 2010 issue of Singapore Magazine.