Mérida’s Christmas Festivals and Markets go into Full Swing
With Christmas just around the corner, Mérida’s parks and public plazas will be overflowing this evening with special events and markets.
Shows are scheduled tonight at several city parks including el Parque de La Alemán, El Remate, and Parque de Las Américas starting at around 6 p.m.
With colorful Christmas lights and ornaments, Mérida’s main square and Paseo de Montejo are also suitably decked out for the holidays.
Christmas shows and photo opportunities with Santa Claus will run until roughly 10 p.m. at shopping malls like Plaza Galerías and Las Isla.
Also extremely popular is the Coca-Cola Christmas village set up in the parking lot of the Chedraui selecto.
In many ways, Christmas in Yucatán is quite similar to the holiday in the United States, Canada, or Western Europe, though there are differences.
Some children receive a token gift on Christmas day, with larger gifts delivered by Los Reyes Magos on January 6.
Many homes serve meals featuring turkey or ham, but dishes such as tamales, Russian-style salads, and cod are also popular.
If you are feeling in the giving mood, some great local organizations you may want to consider include Yucatan Giving Outreach, Estancia Infantil Nueva Vida (Home for girls), and Fundación BAI (sex education and HIV testing/support).
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
