The Mexicans are warm and friendly people with a great gusto for life. Mexico holidays are bursting with vigour and life. If you want a Mexican experience soaked in ancient ruins, colonial towns and national parks or a spring break doused in tequila; you can have it all here in this colourful land.

Mexico – Culture, Etiquette, Weather and Festivals

Enjoy the fresh seafood, succulent meats and fiery salsas. Wonder at the unique museum collections and colonial architecture or relax on one of the sun-kissed beaches. Here is a detail about the Mexican culture, etiquette, weather and festivals that you can enjoy during your holidays to Mexico.

Mexico Culture

The Mexicans are warm and friendly people with a great gusto for life. If you respect their customs, they’ll treat you as one of their own.

You should exchange proper greetings when holidaying in Mexico. It’s essential to shake hands and then exchange greetings, as this is the basic standard greeting norm. When in a group, you should address all the people individually, because collectively greeting the whole group is taken as being rude. It would be nice if you could brush up your basic Spanish greetings before coming to Mexico for a holiday, as even a small gesture from you, like greeting the locals “!Hola” or “Buenos Dias” will greatly impress them.

English is spoken in all the major cities and town but you may come across some language barriers in the rural areas. When speaking with the locals, you should speak grammatically correct English and avoid using jargons. Do not speak slowly or by breaking sentences as the locals might consider this to be rude.

Mexicans don’t fuss over space so you shouldn’t be surprised if a local stands a little closer to you while talking, than the usual. The nap time is between 2 and 5PM, so you better not schedule gatherings or meetings around this time. The Mexicans consider it rude if you refuse an invitation.

The local men are flirtatious by nature, so in case you are a female travelling alone in Mexico, you can expect a little eve teasing. There are a few bars in the country which are reserved just for men, thus it is better not to go there. There are some other places where it is seen as dishonourable for a female to come with out an escort. All of this might seem chauvinistic and antediluvian but you should know that as a guest, in any country, you ought to respect their people, their beliefs and the customs. Stick to known lounges or bars or restaurants, especially if you are travelling with a woman or alone.

Avoid making any critical or derogatory comments about their religion or the people’s families. Don’t stand with your hands on your hips or in your pockets while talking to people, as this is rude. The all-is-ok sign which is done by joining the index finger and the thumb should not at all be used in Mexico as this is considered to be a highly rude sign.

Mexico Etiquette

• Always shake hands or bow slightly during introduction.

• When addressing a local, always add the formal titles like doctor, senor, senora or senorita before their surnames.

• While eating, you should keep both of your hands on the dining table.

• If you are finished eating, do not leave the table immediately.

• It is all right to arrive a little late on social parties or get-togethers, as no one arrives on the stipulated time.

• You can bring gifts like sweets or flowers if invited to a local’s house.

• Do not gift marigolds, for they symbolize death, nor gift a red flower.

• The business attire for men is a shirt and tie and woman too should wear business suits and the recommended colours are dark grey and navy blue.

• Woman should air kiss on the cheeks, once on each side when greeting each other.

• Men generally shake hands, or if they are close, they can hug.

Mexico Weather

There is no bad time or month to holiday in Mexico, though the low-lying and coastal regions, particularly around the southern half of Mexico are quiet humid and hot in between May and September. This is also the time of maximum rainfall and the soaring temperatures. The interior region of Mexico boasts a more moderate climate compared to the coastal region. As a matter of fact, sometimes it’s really very chilly around the areas in the centre and north between November and February.

The peak months for a vacation in Mexico are the months of July and August where tourists from all over the world, flock this warm land. The other huge holiday time or season in Mexico are between mid-December and early January and a week before or after Easter (this is for the locals). This is the time when there is a huge crowd pouring in to the various popular coastal resorts of Mexico like Acapulco, Cancun, Playa del Carmen etc. and the accommodation cost shoots up in tourist areas. The public transportation and lodging is heavily occupied and booked around this time, so it is better to pre-book your Mexico holidays around this time. The period between June and November is also the hurricane season in Mexico, so before booking your holidays during this time, it is better to check and know more about that place and the weather.

Mexico Festivals

Mexicois a nation of lovely colourful celebrations and fiestas with traditional music and dances and many Mexican festivals generally have a procession which is lead behind a holy or sacred image or you can also see more energetic parades with lovely fireworks. These are some of the most popular fiestas and festivals celebrated in Mexico.

 

• The Carnival: Dancing, colourful costumes, eating, floats, live entertainment and parades are all part of the Carnival celebrations. The party in Mazatlan lasts week prior to Lent, with strolling musicians, parades, dancing and singing.

 

• Guelaguetza:  This is a cultural celebration held every year, in Oaxaca during the last two Mondays of the month of July. It’s a big show where many dance troupes from various states perform at the hillside amphitheatre.

 

• The Day of the Dead: Also known as ‘Dia de los Muertos’ in Spanish is celebrated from 31^st October to 2^nd November and the locals respect the deceased at this festival by building them altars and offering drinks and food to the dead. It is celebrated in full spirits in Oaxaca and in and around the villages of Patzcuaro. People visit the cemetery, stay awake all night and pray and sing for deceased souls.

 

• The Holy Week: This is the final week of Lent in Christianity and Taxco hosts the festivity of the Holy Week festivity in Mexico where various processions are carried out during the whole week. On the Holy Thursday night, the local carry saints on shoulders lead the other hooded participants of self- scourging religious people.

 

• The Night of Radishes: Also known as ‘Noche de Rabanos’, this is celebrated in Oaxaca each year on the 23^rd of December; the locals build extra ordinary sculptures and carvings  from dried cornhusks and radishes and put then up for show at the zocalo. The city presents an award to the best sculpture on display.

 

Mexicoholidays will completely enchant and amaze you, with its unique culture, traditions, sumptuous food, beautiful weather, colourful fiestas and warm and welcoming people. You will have a vacation of a lifetime in Mexico.