Although Santa Claus, as Americans imagine Saint Nicholas, is making large inroads into Mexico due to cross-cultural exchanges via mass media and migration of legal and illegal immigrants, Christmas celebrations in Mexico outside Mexico City can still be considered mostly traditional. European and New Spain (mixture of European and Mesoamerican Indian) celebrations are found all over the country.
However, the Christmas tree first made its introduction in Mexico in the northern regions. It was in and around Monterrey, Mexico where German industrialist and others settled and brought along the tradition of the Christmas tree. Today, the Christmas tree is found throughout Mexico.
3 comments:
Love the photo, but have doubts about Monterrey being of much significance in the history of how Christmas trees arrived in Mexico. For more details, see: Christmas trees in Mexico: a cultural invasion or Mexican tradition?
Thanks Tony. I sense a follow-up post on my blog linking to your's!
You're welcome. I'd love to hear more about the claims made for Monterrey since it's entirely possible that there was independent introduction there at some point. Do you happen to know what time frame was involved in the Monterrey claims? Geo-Mexico is going to have a follow-up post about modern Christmas tree plantations in Mexico in about a week's time. Keep up the great work! Tony
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