Posted on Dec 23, 2020

19 Christmas Things That'll Take Mexican Americans Right Back To Their Childhood

A post for anyone who is still scared to get the baby Jesus in the Rosca.

by Brian Galindo

BuzzFeed Staff

1. That setting up the nativity scene was as important as having a Christmas tree:

2. And, of course, you also need a separate Niño Dios figure, which would usually have his own special spot somewhere in the house:

A baby Jesus ceramic figurine laying in a straw crib on a table covered with a Christmas goose pattern table cover

3. Knowing that this pot would be in heavy use making tamales or pozole (and that your mom, grandma, and aunts would be gossiping and arguing while using it):

A photo of a large black granite colored tin steamer pot

4. Not only having Santa and Jesus be a big part of the holidays, but also the Reyes Magos:

A drawing made to look like a relief of the Three Wise Men

5. And while all your non-Latinx friends usually only celebrated Christmas Day, you had Christmas festivities over three separate days:

🎅⛄ 🎄 🎅Blaze-One 🎁⛄⛄🎅 @MR_BURNDATLOUD

#GrowingUpLatino you have 3 christmas... #ChristmasEve #ChristmasDay and #3kingsday ...
07:36 PM - 24 Dec 2019
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6. With Noche Buena being the one you looked forward to the most:

Warner Bros. Television

7. Getting a sugar rush from drinking so much ponche:

8. Literally watching the clock starting at 11:30 p.m. and counting down to midnight so that you could immediately start opening your presents:

A close-up photo of a kid sitting on the floor opening a Christmas gift

9. Eventually falling asleep during the Noche Buena party 'cause it would go all night:

jareyku🇩🇴 @xheidibearr

Expectation: “We’ll get there at 3pm, and leave at 12:30am” Reality: we got there at 8:30pm and left at 4:30am 😂 #LatinoChristmas
10:50 AM - 25 Dec 2019
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10. Waking up on Christmas morning and looking forward to not only more presents, but also a mug of champurrado:

A close-up photo of a mug of champurrado with a cinnamon stick inside of it

11. As well as the pan dulces and buñuelos — to dip into your champurrado:

12. Filling up on leftovers — but also realizing you're going to eat those leftovers for the next several days:

A pot on the stove with a wooden spoon in it and covered with foil

13. Watching (usually not by choice) one of these religious movies on TV at some point throughout December:

Jackie Garcia @JGcodes

Did anybody else’s mom make them watch these Jesus movies on Univision? #HispanicChristmasMovies #GrowingUpHispanic #Christmas #Hispanic #LatinoChristmasMovies #Latinos

02:32 AM - 17 Dec 2020
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14. Getting excited when it was time to cut the Rosca on Día de Los Reyes:

Sol de Zuasnabar Brebbia / Getty Images

15. But never really wanting to get the baby Jesus figure inside, 'cause you didn't want to be ~responsible~ for hosting next year's Día de los Reyes party:

A hand holding a white baby Jesus figure with a slice of Rosca in the background

16. Listening to Yuri's "Campana Sobre Campana"...

17. ...and, of course, "Mi Burrito Sabanero." Because it really isn't the Christmas season unless you've heard "Mi Burrito Sabanero" at least 1,500 times:

18. Double counting your 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to make sure you had the exact right amount in order to make your wishes at midnight:

A photo of a dozen green grapes on a plate with a Happy New Year decoration on it

19. And finally, hearing Tony Camargo's "El Año Viejo" played at least 10 times during your family's New Year's Eve party and having his voice really grate you each time:

19 Christmas Things That'll Take Mexican Americans Right Back To Their Childhood

1. That setting up the nativity scene was as important as having a Christmas tree:

2. And, of course, you also need a separate Niño Dios figure, which would usually have his own special spot somewhere in the house:

3. Knowing that this pot would be in heavy use making tamales or pozole (and that your mom, grandma, and aunts would be gossiping and arguing while using it):

4. Not only having Santa and Jesus be a big part of the holidays, but also the Reyes Magos:

5. And while all your non-Latinx friends usually only celebrated Christmas Day, you had Christmas festivities over three separate days:

6. With Noche Buena being the one you looked forward to the most:

7. Getting a sugar rush from drinking so much ponche:

8. Literally watching the clock starting at 11:30 p.m. and counting down to midnight so that you could immediately start opening your presents:

9. Eventually falling asleep during the Noche Buena party 'cause it would go all night:

10. Waking up on Christmas morning and looking forward to not only more presents, but also a mug of champurrado:

11. As well as the pan dulces and buñuelos — to dip into your champurrado:

12. Filling up on leftovers — but also realizing you're going to eat those leftovers for the next several days:

13. Watching (usually not by choice) one of these religious movies on TV at some point throughout December:

14. Getting excited when it was time to cut the Rosca on Día de Los Reyes:

15. But never really wanting to get the baby Jesus figure inside, 'cause you didn't want to be ~responsible~ for hosting next year's Día de los Reyes party:

16. Listening to Yuri's "Campana Sobre Campana"...

View this video on YouTube

17. ...and, of course, "Mi Burrito Sabanero." Because it really isn't the Christmas season unless you've heard "Mi Burrito Sabanero" at least 1,500 times:

View this video on YouTube

18. Double counting your 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to make sure you had the exact right amount in order to make your wishes at midnight:

19. And finally, hearing Tony Camargo's "El Año Viejo" played at least 10 times during your family's New Year's Eve party and having his voice really grate you each time:

View this video on YouTube

19 Christmas Things That'll Take Mexican Americans Right Back To Their Childhood

1. That setting up the nativity scene was as important as having a Christmas tree:

2. And, of course, you also need a separate Niño Dios figure, which would usually have his own special spot somewhere in the house:

3. Knowing that this pot would be in heavy use making tamales or pozole (and that your mom, grandma, and aunts would be gossiping and arguing while using it):

4. Not only having Santa and Jesus be a big part of the holidays, but also the Reyes Magos:

5. And while all your non-Latinx friends usually only celebrated Christmas Day, you had Christmas festivities over three separate days:

6. With Noche Buena being the one you looked forward to the most:

7. Getting a sugar rush from drinking so much ponche:

8. Literally watching the clock starting at 11:30 p.m. and counting down to midnight so that you could immediately start opening your presents:

9. Eventually falling asleep during the Noche Buena party 'cause it would go all night:

10. Waking up on Christmas morning and looking forward to not only more presents, but also a mug of champurrado:

11. As well as the pan dulces and buñuelos — to dip into your champurrado:

12. Filling up on leftovers — but also realizing you're going to eat those leftovers for the next several days:

13. Watching (usually not by choice) one of these religious movies on TV at some point throughout December:

14. Getting excited when it was time to cut the Rosca on Día de Los Reyes:

15. But never really wanting to get the baby Jesus figure inside, 'cause you didn't want to be ~responsible~ for hosting next year's Día de los Reyes party:

16. Listening to Yuri's "Campana Sobre Campana"...

View this video on YouTube

17. ...and, of course, "Mi Burrito Sabanero." Because it really isn't the Christmas season unless you've heard "Mi Burrito Sabanero" at least 1,500 times:

View this video on YouTube

18. Double counting your 12 grapes on New Year's Eve to make sure you had the exact right amount in order to make your wishes at midnight:

19. And finally, hearing Tony Camargo's "El Año Viejo" played at least 10 times during your family's New Year's Eve party and having his voice really grate you each time:

View this video on YouTube

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