Nativity Scenes from Mexico on display at Mexic-Arte Museum
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Christmas in Mexico is a vibrant and festive holiday season with a unique set of traditions that were formed by the blending of Spanish Colonial and indigenous Mexican cultures. The Aztec people of pre-Columbian Mexico paid homage to the birth of the god Huitzilopochtli during this time of year, with celebrations that began at midnight and continued throughout the following day.
When Spanish colonialists brought the Christian faith to the Americas in the 16th century, missionaries noticed similarities between the Christian celebration of Christmas and the Aztec celebrations, facilitating the integration of Christianity into the lives of the indigenous people.