CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO

25 minutes

Country: USA/Latin America

Year: 1992

Language: English

Overview:

This film looks at the Christmas traditions of Mexico, which feature influences from both Spanish and Native American backgrounds. It is intended primarily for younger audiences, and includes highlights of the celebrations. Produced by the Educational Video Network

Previewing Activities

• What are some Christmas traditions in the US? How might celebrations be different in Mexico?
• Do you know anything specific about how people in Mexico observe the Christmas holiday?
• Do you think that a Christmas in Mexico would be more or less religious based than one in the US? Why or why not?

Post-viewing Activities

• What might you find in a market in Mexico around Christmas?
• What are posadas?
• Why is January 6^th important in Mexico?
• What do Mexicans eat for good luck on New Year’s Day?

Class Projects

• Make a collage and arrange the images to represent the differences between a Christmas in the US and one in Mexico
• Make some food dish or item that is specific to a Mexican Christmas.

How to Borrow this Video:

The videos owned by the UNC-Duke Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies are housed in the Outreach Office of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  They are lent free of charge.  For information on films and reservations, please visit http://isa.unc.edu/film/films_main.asp.

Suggested Readings:

• Christmas in Mexico. World Book, 1996.