The customs and traditions of Mexico are full of color, celebration and joy , but also of mysticism, tradition and history. Each one of them is interesting and attractive for the inhabitants themselves as well as for visitors.

A journey through the meaning, culture and manifestations of Mexican traditions is always an invitation to witness and live them up close. In each festivity there are customs that reflect the historical richness resulting from the combination of two ancestral cultures.

The 7 most representative traditions and customs of Mexico

Learn about the traditions and customs of Mexico with more history, more curious or surprising.

Day of the Dead

It takes place on November 1 and 2 and is celebrated throughout the country with some variations according to the region but with aspects that are preserved everywhere. The custom dictates to put an offering in each home with the photos of the relatives and loved ones already dead.

The offering has very particular elements, such as cempazuchitl flowers, colored paper, incense and the food and objects that those who are being remembered liked when they lived. Skulls made of sugar are also placed with the names of the people who are still alive .

Another deep-rooted tradition is to spend the whole night in the pantheon at the graves of those loved ones, and to decorate it with flowers and food, while listening to music, because the atmosphere is more than ceremonious, it is festive. Without a doubt, this celebration is one of the most typical and recognized among the customs and traditions of Mexico.

2. Epiphany.

It is celebrated on January 6th. The custom is to eat a sweet bread roll with caramelized fruits on top and that inside is hidden a small plastic or ceramic doll.

The thread is shared between several people so that each one can break his portion and find out whether or not he has taken out a doll. Whoever discovers the doughnut in their bread should invite the rest of the doughnut sharers to tamales on Candle Day.

Of the customs and traditions in Mexico, this is one of the children’s favorites , because that same day at night, the wise men leave toys in the houses for the children who had to write a letter and put it in a shoe, so that the wise men can pick it up and put the toys there.

3. Candlemas Day

On February 2nd, the Virgin of Candelaria is celebrated. The custom is to prepare atole and tamales, two of the most typical dishes in Mexico . These are invited by the people who on Three Kings Day have found the doll inside the rosca de reyes.

Another custom is to dress the child at birth in baby clothes or representative of the family’s tastes, another very typical custom in Mexico. This tradition is not one of the best known worldwide, but it is one of the most important in the country.

4. Independence Day Anniversary

On the night of September 15, the president on duty goes to the National Palace to perform the so-called “Grito de Dolores” which is how the call made by the priest Don Miguel Hidalgo to start the rebellion for the struggle for the independence of Mexico is known.

The festivity is full of color, typical food, mezcal and mariachi music all over the Mexican Republic. On September 16th there is a military parade and a roll call of the armed forces.

5. Guelaguetza

It is a big party that brings together dancers from the 8 regions of the State of Oaxaca who perform for a week folk dances accompanied by wind music. It is a festivity that has prevailed over time, full of color and of the most ancestral tradition in Mexico.

It takes place in the Cerro del Fortín located in the outskirts of Oaxaca City.

6. Voladores de Papantla

This Mexican tradition does not have a specific date, is a ritual that takes place mainly in Papantla Veracruz . It consists of a series of dances and movements prior to climbing a 30-meter high trunk.

Once they are up, tied to a rope which is in turn tied to a cross at the end of the post, they descend as they go round and the so-called caporal plays the flute at the top of the post. They do all this dressed in their typical costumes , and although it is originally from Veracruz, it is possible to witness this ritual in tourist places for the enjoyment of visitors.

7. Mariachis

Mariachi is a musical genre, but this is also how the group that plays it is known. Dressed in a typical charro costume including their hat, each member is assigned an instrument.

Mariachis are in demand at almost any Mexican party with typical music for dancing or singing . On the other hand, they are a representative icon of the customs and traditions of Mexico as they are present in the pantheons on the day of the dead, in the celebrations of Independence Day, in the masses of Candelaria Day.

Bibliographic references:

  • Gómez Pérez, M. A.; Delgado Solís, J. A. (2000). Rites and myths of death in Mexico and other cultures. Tomo Editorial Group.