Statutory holidays are observed nationwide. Employees are entitled to a day off with regular pay and schools are closed.[1] In addition to these dates, election days designated by federal and local electoral laws are also statutory holidays. When a statutory holiday falls on a Sunday, Monday is considered a statutory holiday; if a statutory holiday falls on Saturday, Friday will be considered a statutory holiday.
Civic holidays are observed nationwide, but employees are not entitled to a day off with pay. There are also religious and regional celebrations.
January 1. New Year's Day. Año Nuevo.
January 6. Epiphany. Día de los Reyes Magos. Traditionally, children receive toys, and people buy a pastry called rosca de reyes.
February 5. Constitution Day. Día de la Constitución. Observance, first Monday of February.
February 14. Valentine's Day. Día de San Valentín.
February 24. Flag Day. Día de la Bandera.
Late February. Carnival. Carnival. A five day celebration involving food, music, dancing and a parade.
March 21. Benito Juárez's birthday. Natalicio de Benito Juárez. Commemorates President Benito Juárez's birthday on March 21, 1806. Observance, third Monday of March.
The week of Easter Sunday. Holy Week. Semana Santa. Many Mexicans go on vacation, often to the coast, at this time.
April 30. Children's' Day. Día del Niño. Honors children with festivals or outings to fun places.
May 1. Labor Day. Día del Trabajo. Commemorates the Mexican workers' union movements.
May 5. Fifth of May. Cinco de Mayo. Celebrates the victory of the Mexican Army, led by Gral. Ignacio Zaragoza against French forces in the city of Puebla, on May 5, 1862.
May 8. Miguel Hidalgo's birthday. Natalicio de Miguel Hidalgo. Commemorates the birth in 1753 of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the initiator of the Mexican Independence War.
May 10. Mother's Day. Día de las Madres.
June 1. National Maritime Day. Día de la Marina. Celebrates both the Mexican Navy and Mexico's maritime sectors.
Third Sunday of June. Father's Day. Día del Padre.
September 13. Anniversary of the "Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets." Día de los Niños Héroes. Celebrates the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican–American War of 1847 and the heroic and ultimate sacrifice that the Niños Héroes gave to the nation.
September 15. Cry of Dolores. Grito de Dolores. Celebrates the Grito de Dolores, an event that marked the start of the independence war against Spain on the eve of September 16, 1810.
September 16. Independence Day. Día de la Independencia. Commemorates the start of the Independence War by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in 1810.
September 27. End of the Mexican War of Independence. Consumación de la Independencia. Celebrates the end of the Mexican Independence War on 1821, 11 years after Father Hidalgo started it, with the victory of the Army of the Three Guarantees.
September 30. Morelos' birthday. Natalicio de José Ma. Morelos y Pavón. Commemorates the birth in 1765 of Father José María Morelos y Pavón, one of the founding fathers of the Mexican nation.
October 12. Columbus Day. Día de la Raza. Commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the continent.
November 1. All Saints' Day and Day of the Innocents or Little Angels. Día de Todos los Santos and Día de los Inocentes or Día de los Angelitos . Souls of deceased children are honored, often with altars, candles, food, and offerings such as a favorite toy.
November 2. All Souls' Day and Day of the Dead. Día de Muertos. Souls of the deceased are honored, often with altars, candles, food, music and perhaps some booze.
November 17 - 20. Mexico's version America's "Black Friday". Buen Fin. Discounts and great prices to be found, this is the time to buy your new furniture or appliances.
November 20. Revolution Day. Día de la Revolución. Commemorates the start of the Mexican Revolution by Francisco I. Madero in 1910. Observance, third Monday of November.
December 1. Change of Federal Government. Transmisión del Poder Ejecutivo Federal. Every six years, when a new President is sworn in office.
December 12. Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Celebrates the day that Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared on Tepeyac hill to the native Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico's patron saint.
December 16–24. Las Posadas. Las Posadas. Commemorates the Biblical New Testament story of Joseph and Mary's search for shelter in Bethlehem. Consists of candlelight processions as well as stops at various nativity scenes.
December 24. Christmas Eve. Nochebuena. Celebrates the eve of the nativity of Jesus.
December 25. Christmas. Navidad.
December 28. Day of the Innocents. Día de los Santos Innocentes. Similar to the American April Fools' Day.
December 31. New Year's Eve. Año Nuevo Vìspera. Mexicans celebrate by having a dinner at 1:00am with their families, the traditional meal being turkey and mole.