Since the sixteenth century, when New Spain was organized politically and socially, we officially talk about Christmas in Mexico. And, with the establishment of the Catholic religion as unique in the territories dominated by the Spanish Empire, the celebration of the birth of Christ, the Messiah, became the most important solemnity of Novohispana society.
With the arrival of photography to Mexico in the mid -nineteenth century, all Christmas season traditions were registered Under the lens of great photographers such as the Casasola dynasty and others that left a graphic legacy of great value that makes up our National Photo Library.
The sale of Christmas trees is a constant in December celebrations and has been made in public spaces such as squares or markets.CASASOLA ARCHIVE / NATIONAL PHOTOECA / INAH
Under the lens of Arsen Yacoubian Kurkjian, we recognize a decorative style of the sixties that returns to Christmas trees in 2024.Arsen Lionel Yacoubian Kurkjian / National Photo Library / INAH
Christmas ornaments
When thinking at Christmas, the first thing that comes to our mind is food and decoration. For several decades these have not undergone drastic changes and on the contrary, old trends are positioned again as fashion in the way of decorating, for example, households for the season.
For centuries, The tradition of placing a Christmas tree has invaded most households And although some ways to decorate it have changed – like that in which wax candles were placed on to illuminate it and that caused tragic fires – there are symbols that remain rooted in those decorative customs. Not only the objects that decorate the trees, but the trees themselves have gone through the city to be sold in public spaces, markets, squares and thus preserve a tradition that, primarily, seeks to gather families.
A custom that has been lost over time: the sale of guajolotes for Christmas dinner during the holidays.CASASOLA ARCHIVE / NATIONAL PHOTOECA / INAH
Under the lens of Casasola we can see a seller of Christmas trees in what we can identify as the square next to the parish of San Juan Bautista, in the center of Coyoacán, in 1935. Later, we can also see a frozen image in the time that Arsen Lionel Yacoubian Kurkjian captured and shows, perfectly, like the previous ways to decorate they return strongly today. That style of placing silver frosts in the trees of the sixties, has returned to Christmas of 2024 as the great tendency to arrange this centerpiece in homes.
Also, under the lens of Casasola, we observe a seller walking through the streets of the city offering- vivo- the favorite food for that night: the guajolote. Something that today would seem out of place, barely 70 years ago was the easiest way to acquire it To later, start the preparation ritual.
Casasola captured a group of kneeling people during the prayers and songs of the «Posadas» December, a tradition that has been lost over time.CASASOLA ARCHIVE / NATIONAL PHOTOECA / INAH
The Company Cummins de México offers its employees a dinner with music and drinks for Christmas celebrations in 1959, something that continues to exist to this day.CASASOLA ARCHIVE / NATIONAL PHOTOECA / INAH
The celebrations around Christmas
Although today we might think that all traditional December festivities are linked to a fun and rejoicing atmosphere, we must always remember that they have a religious background. When we listen to the word «inn», the religious accent takes on greater tone and we see it faithfully reflected in the image captured by Casasola in 1935. In it, people kneel during the prayers and songs that refer to the days before the birth of Jesus and the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to find a place to rest.