Candlemas: February 2nd Blessing of the Christ Child

We know it’s February, but all over Mexico strings of flashing holiday lights still glow, finally silent—the 25 synthesized carols that played day and night have now worn out or finally been turned off.

By now the holiday décor is a little mussed. The nativity scenes with their hundreds of figures that form whole villages are no longer perfectly arranged -- a donkey has fallen down the hillside over there and here a group of shepherds have been pushed aside so the family cat could sleep in the afternoon sun. Homemade holiday street decorations, now tattered by the wind and faded by sun and rain, bob in the breeze, their remaining lights the only cheerful sight on the narrow, curved barrio streets. The few Christmas trees stand in patios and windows, festooned with dusty ornaments.

Christmas decorations lingering into February are the norm in Mexico – they don’t come down until the official end of the holiday season, the El Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas) parties held February 2.

These parties are held according to old Mexican traditions to honoring the now six-week-old infant Christ. According to Old Testament Jewish tradition, a woman did not return to the temple until her child was 40 days old and she had been to the post-childbirth ritual purification baths. In Mexico, the February 2nd feast day is also called El Día de Purificación (the day of the purification of Mary).

The Bible tells how Mary and Joseph took the child to the temple to be blessed by the High Priest Simeon and all over Mexico families will repeat that ceremony today. They raise the baby from the manger of their home nativity scene, dress it (often in a white baptismal gown) and take it to the church to be blessed.

In some areas the godmother of the Christ child gives him a different new outfit for three consecutive years, according to a prescribed schedule.  

• Year 1 – The baby has a white baptismal gown to remind us that Jesus was born into the world.
• Year 2 –The child might wear a rough brown Franciscan robe, doctor’s scrubs with a stethoscope or modern baby clothes representing the every day world and to remind us of the real life of Christ.
• Year 3 - The babe is dressed with royal robes, golden sandals, a tiny crown and hold a scepter to remind viewers of Jesus the King.

In some areas, the traditions says that the guests that found the plastic child figure in their portion of rosca de reyes (traditional crown-shaped cake served at the January 6 Three Kings celebrations), are expected to host a party in the style of Mexican baptismal celebrations to honor the newly blessed child from the manger.

The favored food for these parties? Tamales, that is what was usually served at baptismal parties in the day. Don’t forget the (a hot drink made from corn—usually flavored with vanilla, strawberry or chocolate).

Mexico Insights Tip: An important part of adjusting to foreign relocation and living happily in another country --even Mexico with the many north of the border residents -- is learning about and experiencing holidays, customs and celebrations. Make this your 2010 goal; learn about Mexico’s rich traditions