Mexican Holidays

In Mexico there are 3 major kinds of holidays:

• Statutory holiday: Holidays observed nationwide. Employees are entitled to a day off with regular pay and schools (public and private) are closed.
• Civic holiday: These holidays are observed nationwide, but employees are not entitled to a day off with pay.
• Festivities: These are traditional holidays to honor religious events, such as Carnival
  Carnival
  Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
  
  , Holy Week
  Holy Week
  Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
  
  , Easter
  Easter
  Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
  
  , etc. or public celebrations, such as Mother's day
  Mother's Day
  Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
  
  , Father's day
  Father's Day
  Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
  
  , Valentine's Day
  Valentine's Day
  Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
  
  , etc.

The holiday Dia de la Independencia or Aniversario de la Independencia (Sep. 16) commemorates Mexico's independence from Spain

Mexican War of Independence

The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...

. Parades are held and many schools are closed.

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). 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 a statutory holiday.

Date	English name	Spanish name	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...	Año Nuevo	First day of the year.
February 5	Constitution Day	Día de la Constitución	Celebrates the Promulgation of the 1857 and 1917 Constitution of Mexico The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States is the current constitution of Mexico. It was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, by a constitutional convention, during the Mexican Revolution. It was approved by the Constitutional Congress on February 5, 1917...  Constitutions Constitutions of Mexico Since declaring independence in 1810, Mexico has adopted a number of constitutions or other documents of basic law with constitutional effects. Not all these can be considered constitutions, and not all of them enjoyed universal application...  (See also Patriotic holidays in Mexico). Observance: First Monday of February.
March 21	Benito Juárez Benito Juárez Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872... 's birthday	Natalicio de Benito Juárez	Commemorates President Benito Juárez's birthday on March 21, 1806 (See also Patriotic holidays in Mexico). Observance: Third Monday of March
May 1	Labor Day	Día del Trabajo	Commemorates the Mexican workers' union movements (See also Patriotic holidays in Mexico).
September 16	Independence Day	Día de la Independencia Independence Day An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another nation or state, and more rarely after the end of a military occupation...	Commemorates the start of the Independence War Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...  by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1810 (See also Patriotic holidays in Mexico).
November 20	Revolution Day	Día de la Revolución Day of the Revolution The Day of the Revolution is celebrated annually in Mexico on November 20, the anniversary of the 1910 start of the popular movement which led to the overthrow of dictator José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori after 34 years of military rule but ushered in over a decade of civil war which ultimately...	Commemorates the start of the Mexican Revolution Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...  by Francisco I. Madero Francisco I. Madero Francisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician, he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...  in 1910 (See also Patriotic holidays in Mexico). Observance: Third Monday of November.
December 25	Change of Federal Government	Transmisión del Poder Ejecutivo Federal	Every six years, when a new President President of Mexico The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...  is sworn in office. Next observance: December 1, 2012.
December 25	Christmas	Navidad	Christmas celebration; secular and religious holiday.

In addition to these dates, election days designated by federal and local electoral laws are also statutory holidays.

Civic holidays

Date	English Name	Spanish Name	Remarks
February 19	Army's Day	Día del Ejército Mexican Army The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...	Celebrates the Mexican Army on the Loyalty Day ("Día de la Lealtad"), when President Madero Francisco I. Madero Francisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician, he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...  was escorted by the Cadet Cadet A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :... s of the Militar College to the National Palace National Palace (Mexico) The National Palace, or Palacio Nacional in Spanish), was the seat of the federal executive in Mexico. It is located on Mexico City's main square, the Plaza de la Constitución... .
February 24	Flag Day	Día de la Bandera Día de la Bandera Día de la Bandera is a national holiday in Mexico. Flag Day is celebrated every year on February 24 since its implementation in 1937...	Celebrates the current Flag of Mexico Flag of Mexico The flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War...  and honors the previous ones. Flag Day was implemented by President Lázaro Cárdenas Lázaro Cárdenas Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...  in 1937.
March 18	Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation	Aniversario de la Expropiación petrolera Expropiación petrolera The Mexican oil expropriation was the expropriation of all oil reserves, facilities, and foreign oil companies in Mexico in 1938....	Celebrates the Oil Expropriation by President Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas in 1938.
April 21	Heroic Defense of Veracruz	Heroica Defensa de Veracruz	Commemorates the defense against the United States occupation of Veracruz in 1914.
May 5	Fifth of May	Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla...	Celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army Mexican Army The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue... , led by Gral. Ignacio Zaragoza Ignacio Zaragoza Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín was a general in the Mexican army, best known for defeating invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 ....  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.
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 Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...	Celebrates the Mexican Navy.
September 13	"Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets"	Día de los Niños Héroes Niños Héroes The Niños Héroes , also known as the Heroic Cadets or Boy Soldiers, were six Mexican teenage military cadets. These cadets died defending Mexico at Mexico City's Chapultepec Castle from invading U.S. forces in the 13 September 1847 Battle of Chapultepec, during the Mexican–American War...	Celebrates the Battle of Chapultepec Battle of Chapultepec The Battle of Chapultepec, in September 1847, was a United States victory over Mexican forces holding Chapultepec Castle west of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.-Background:On September 13, 1847, in the costly Battle of Molino del Rey, U.S...  during the Mexican–American War Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...  of 1847.
September 15	Cry of Dolores	Grito de Dolores Grito de Dolores The Grito de Dolores also known as El Grito de la Independencia , uttered from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato on April 19, 1810 is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is the most important national holiday observed in Mexico...	Celebrates the Grito de Dolores Grito de Dolores The Grito de Dolores also known as El Grito de la Independencia , uttered from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato on April 19, 1810 is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is the most important national holiday observed in Mexico... , an event that marked the start of the independence war Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...  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 José María Morelos José María Teclo Morelos y Pavón was a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary rebel leader who led the Mexican War of Independence movement, assuming its leadership after the execution of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1811...	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 Columbus Day Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...	Descubrimiento de América European colonization of the Americas The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492. The first Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement in present day Newfoundland...	Commemorates the Discovery of the Americas European colonization of the Americas The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492. The first Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement in present day Newfoundland...  in 1492 by the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the... .

Festivities

Date	English Name	Spanish Name	Remarks
January 6	Epiphany	Día de los Santos Reyes	Celebrates the Biblical New Testament story of the arrival of the three wise men who each brought a gift to the Christ child. Traditionally, children receive toys, and people buy a pastry called rosca de reyes Rosca de reyes Rosca de reyes or roscón de reyes is a Spanish and Spanish American king's cake pastry traditionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany.... . Anyone who bites into the bread and finds a figurine of the Christ child must host a party for the Day of Candlemas (February 2). It is not a state holiday.
February 14	Valentine's Day Valentine's Day Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...	Día de San Valentín	Celebrates amorous unions. 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 a state holiday.
April 30	Children's Day	Día del Niño	Honors all the children. It is not a state holiday.
May 10	Mother's Day	Día de las Madres	Honors all the mothers throughout the country. It is not a state holiday.
May 15	Teacher's Day	Día del Maestro	Honors all the teachers throughout the country. It is not a state holiday.
May 23	Students' Day	Día del estudiante	Honors all the students throughout the country. It is not a state holiday.
Third Sunday of June	Father's Day Father's Day Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...	Día del Padre	Honors all the fathers throughout the country. It is not a state holiday.
November 1	All Saints' Day (Day of the Dead Day of the Dead Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in many cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it attains the quality... )	Día de Todos los Santos	Honors dead relatives and/or friends (who were less than 18 years of age and unmarried) with candles, food and flower offerings, altars, and pre-Hispanic and Christian Christian A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...  rituals. It is not a state holiday.
November 2	All Souls' Day (Day of the Dead)	Día de los Fieles Difuntos	Honors dead relatives and/or friends (who were more than 18 years of age or married) with candles, food and flower offerings, altars, and pre-Hispanic and Christian Christian A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...  rituals. It is not a state holiday.
December 12	Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe	Día de la Virgen de Guadalude	Celebrates the day that Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...  appeared on Tepeyac hill to the native Indigenous peoples of the Americas The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...  Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin or Juan Diego was, according to Mexican Catholic tradition, an indigenous Mexican who reported a Marian apparition, Our Lady of Guadalupe, in 1531. The legend of the apparition has had a significant impact on the spread of the Catholic faith within Mexico... . It is not a state holiday.
December 16–24	Las Posadas	Las Posadas	Commemorates the Biblical New Testament story of 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 Christmas Eve Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...	Nochebuena	Celebrates the eve of the nativity of Jesus Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity... , as both a secular and religious winter holiday. The traditional treats for this holiday are buñuelos Buñuelos A Buñuelo alternatively called bimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, burmuelo, bonuelo; ) is a fried dough ball. It is a popular snack in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Peru, the Philippines, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, and is a tradition at Christmas, Ramadan and among Sephardic Jews at... , tamales and atole Atole Atole is a traditional masa-based Mexican and Central American hot drink. Chocolate atole is known as champurrado or atole... or champurrado. Sometimes they eat gelatina de colores (different flavors of Jell-O and a milk based Jell-O mixed together to make a colorful treat) Las Posadas are celebrated nine days before Nochebuena, usually accompanied by a piñata Piñata A piñata is a papier-mâché or other type of container that is decorated, filled with toys and or candy and then broken as part of a ceremony or celebration. Piñatas are most commonly associated with Mexico, but its origins are considered to be in China... party for children and dance music for adults.
December 28	Day of the Innocents	Dia de los Santos Innocentes	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...!, literally meaning 'Innocent little dove' (equivalent to saying April Fools!).
December 31	New Year's Eve	Año Nuevo Vìspera	Mexicans celebrate New Year's Eve or locally known as Año Nuevo, by downing a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the midnight countdown, while making a wish with each one. Mexican families decorate homes and parties, during New Year's, with colors such as red, to encourage an overall improvement of lifestyle and love, yellow to encourage blessings of improved employment conditions, green to improve financial circumstances and white to improved health. Mexican sweet bread is baked with a coin or charm hidden in the dough. When the bread is served, the recipient whose slice contains the coin or charm is believed to be blessed with good luck in the new year. Another tradition is making a list of all the bad or unhappy events from the current year; before midnight, this list is thrown into a fire, symbolizing the removal of negative energy from the new year.http://www.topics-mag.com At the same time, thanks is expressed for all the good things had during the year that is coming to its end so that they will continue to be had in the new year. Mexicans celebrate by having a late-night dinner with their families, the traditional meal being turkey and mole, a tradition which has now spanned worldwide. Those who want to party generally go out afterwards, to local parties or night clubs. If you're in Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... , you can still enjoy festivities in the street. In Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...  there is a huge street festival on New Year's Eve; celebrations center around the Zocalo, the city's main square. You can expect a lot of firecrackers, fireworks and sparklers. At midnight there is a lot of noise and everyone shouts: "Feliz año nuevo!" People embrace, make noise, set off firecracker Firecracker A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound... s, and sing Will Take a Cup o' Kidness Yet Auld Lang Syne Auld Lang Syne "Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song . It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight... .

External links

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