A tamaliza is planned for Friday morning, Feb. 1. This is a gathering of friends to eat tamales and drink atole ( a drink based on dried corn which is boiled, left to soak overnight, drained, and flavored with an endless variety of flavors - chocolate, fruits, orange flowers, apparently anything that appeals to the cook.) The tamaliza illustrates how Mexican traditions connect one holiday to another and weave a strong warp that bonds family and friends. It takes place the beginning of February on or near Candelaria, the last official holiday of the (yes) Christmas season. On January 6, the Dia de Reyes (Three Kings Day) everyone eats a Rosca de Reyes, a ring-shaped sweet bread with dried fruits and a ceramic figurine. The person who gets the slice with the figurine hosts the next big party on Candelaria, the festival that commemorates the presentation of the Baby Jesus at the temple.
The Christmas season begins on Dec. 11, the Eve of the Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe, patron of Mexico, revered all over Latin America. She is the protectress, the mother of Mexico. The depth of devotion to her is moving. This year an estimated three million Mexicans made a pilgrimage to her shrine, built on Tepeyac, the hill where she first appeared to a young Indian boy who managed to persuade the bishop, with the help of some miracles, to build the shrine. The Basilica de Guadalupe is in La Villa, an area of the city we are not comfortable navigating; unlike thousands who arrived on foot or knees or bicycle, we took a taxi. Alejandro, the taxista, advised us to get a statue or picture of la Virgen and place our photos next to her heart so she would protect us the way she has always protected him.
Many pilgrims were spending the night there, with blankets and sleeping bags, an occasional tent to keep them warm. Priests blessed with holy water the statues and portraits of the Virgen that many people carried. Many parents, seeking her protection, formally presented their babies to her. The beautiful old basilica at the base of the hill is being restored, and a new, modern basilica has been built next to it. Here, masses were offered almost continuously. At midnight they sing the Mañanitas to her – the Mexican birthday song (Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David. Hoy por ser dia de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti. These are the morning songs that King David sang; because it’s your day we sing them to you).
The Posadas are the next stage of the holiday season. Beginning on Dec. 16 and continuing for nine days, groups of people will commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem by carrying their images and singing their story, seeking lodging. They arrive at a house finally that receives them, and the mood changes from religious to festive, from Bethlehem to Mexico: mariachis, festive food, pinatas.
Now the Reforma is lined with nacimientos, nativity scenes, with the customary figures of Mary, Joseph, the Babe, kings, shepherds, angels and animals and sometimes an additional figure - a bright red Diablito, the devil, lurking along the edge.
Christmas Eve is more important than Christmas Day; families gather for a huge meal, many go to midnight mass, the party continues into the wee hours of Christmas Day, which is of necessity more subdued as people finally get some rest. And of course New Year's Eve is more festive than New Year's Day. The Reforma was decorated with big arches bearing bunches of gold grapes. At midnight as the clock strikes, everyone eats a grape per strike, bringing good luck to the new year. A big, free concert was held there on the 31st.
The focus shifts from the Reforma to the Monumento a la Revolucion a few days later, where a children's fair is set up along with multiple booths for families to take pictures with the Reyes, the Wise Men, who apparently journeyed to Bethlehem with Winnie the Pooh and other popular children's characters. Three Kings, but only one camel; one king rides an elephant and another, a horse. The big Reyes parade takes place on the Reforma on Jan. 6. We know, because that parade blocked the Reforma for several hours as we were leaving for Mazatlán. So we learned a new way out of the city, never an easy task here.
The bakeries are so completely filled with Roscas de Reyes that I'm certain every person in the city (pop. more than 25 million) had at least one. That's good, because it ensures that the festivities will continue at least through the first week of February. And then usually there's a respite until Carnaval starts up for five or six days before Ash Wednesday, but Easter is early this year, so people on the coasts, especially Mazatlan on the Pacific and Veracruz on the Gulf, are celebrating Carnaval right after Candelaria. The D.F. is surprisingly low-key for Carnaval, but in case we get bored, Chinese New Year's celebrations, with dragon dance, will take place from Feb. 7 - 12.
