I still remember asking what we would be eating when I spent my first ever Christmas in Mexico. Far from BeefWellington and Yorkshire puddings in the UK, I wondered if in Monterrey at least, the answer would be turkey, or maybe tacos?!
In many countries, Christmas dinner tends to follow a fairly predictable formula—usually turkey or ham, mashed potatoes or yams with vegetables, and pumpkin pie. But ask a Mexican family what’s on the table and you’ll get an entirely different (and much more varied) response.
In Mexico and much of CentralAmerica, Christmas Eve or Nochebuena is the main event, often celebrated with a large family dinner late at night. But unlike the U.S., there is no single “typical” dish. That’s because food traditions vary wildly depending on region, family heritage, and local availability.
Here are just a few dishes you might encounter:
Pierna de cerdo adobada – A marinated pork leg, roasted until tender
Pavo navideño – Turkey, often filled with a savory-sweet stuffing
Tamales – Wrapped in cornhusks or banana leaves, with fillings that vary by state
Bacalao a la vizcaína – A tomato-based salted cod dish of Spanish origin
Romeritos – Green cooked inmole sauce with shrimp
Ensalada de manzana – A creamy apple salad often served as dessert
Ponche Navideño – A warm fruit punch made with sugarcane, tejocotes, guava, and cinnamon
The result? No two households celebrate the same way. And that’s the magic of it. The focus is on being with loved ones, catching up, and sharing joy—not on perfection or formality. This openness, generosity, and sense of shared belonging is part of what makes Latin culture so deeply special, and why spending the holidays here feels less like an event and more like coming home. It’s not uncommon for extended family, godparents, neighbors, and even last-minute guests to be welcomed in without hesitation—hospitality is second nature here. While the food is lovingly prepared and often abundant, the heart of the celebration is the togetherness.
So if you’re relocating to Mexico or Central America this season, embracing these traditions can be a beautiful way to feel connected—and to taste the local culture, literally.
At Anchor, we help expats go beyond the move and into real cultural belonging.
Feliz Navidad—from our table toyours.
