In bloom for December

nochebuena, aguinaldo & navidad

Author

Rocio L
December 17, 2025

¡Hola amigos! 

I’ve been a little quiet the past month. After spending a couple of months in Chicago, I made my way back to CDMX and needed a beat to settle back into the rhythm of life here. As it turns out, I picked quite the moment to step away.

In just a few weeks, Trump and President Claudia Sheinbaum met in person for the first time, more than 13 million devotees flooded the capital for the Virgin of Guadalupe, Bad Bunny is lighting up the city and the local economy, a Frida Kahlo painting sold for $55 million, and Congress delivered a full telenovela catfight — with lots of hair-pulling.

This week’s main story slows things down, tracing the Indigenous roots of the nochebuena, the flower that quietly takes over Mexico each December. We’re also breaking down aguinaldo in plain English, plus sharing plenty of events to help you tap into the holiday spirit around the city.

So whether you’re soaking in December in CDMX or just catching up midweek, there’s plenty waiting for you below.

– Rocio
Founder, Life of Leisure 
Writer, Mexico News Daily

The Nochebuena: a Christmas symbol with much older roots

Long before it became synonymous with Christmas, the poinsettia was known in Nahuatl as cuetlaxóchitl, a plant with deep spiritual and practical meaning in Mesoamerica.

For the Mexica (Aztecs), the cuetlaxóchitl was more than decorative. Its vivid red bracts were used to make natural dyes and medicinal remedies, and its winter bloom carried symbolic weight. Red represented life force, purity, and the energy of the sun, all tied to cycles of death and renewal. Because it flowered during the coldest months, the plant came to symbolize resilience and endurance.

The cuetlaxóchitl was linked to powerful deities, including Tonantzin, the mother goddess later associated with the Virgin of Guadalupe, and Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war god. In this worldview, plants, people, and the cosmos were deeply connected, and nothing bloomed without meaning.

After Spanish colonization, the flower’s symbolism evolved but did not disappear. Because it naturally blooms in December, friars began incorporating it into Christian celebrations, associating it with Christmas and the nativity. By the 17th century, it was commonly used to decorate churches and became known as the Flor de Nochebuena, the Flower of Christmas Eve.

Folklore helped cement its place in the season. One well-known legend tells of children offering humble weeds to Baby Jesus, only for them to transform into radiant red flowers. While not historical fact, the story reflects how Indigenous symbolism and Christian traditions blended into something uniquely Mexican.

The flower’s global journey came later. In the 1820s, Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, brought cuttings north after encountering the plant in southern Mexico. It was cultivated, commercialized, and eventually renamed after him — a rare (and ironic) case where a plant indigenous to Mexico became world-famous under someone else’s name.

Today, Mexico is the world’s leading producer of poinsettias, with millions grown each year, especially in states like Morelos, Puebla, and Michoacán. While red remains the classic, the plant now blooms in whites, pinks, yellows, and marbled varieties.

At its core, the nochebuena is more than seasonal décor. It’s a living reminder that many Christmas traditions are rooted in Indigenous knowledge, symbolism, and resilience, quietly blooming each year whether we stop to notice or not.

🙏 Inside the world’s largest pilgrimage honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe. Each December, millions journey to Mexico City’s Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe — by foot, by bike, and sometimes on their knees — driven by devotion, gratitude, and faith. The pilgrimage culminates at the world’s most visited Marian shrine, where belief, tradition, and endurance converge on December 12.

✈️ Small plane crash near Toluca kills 10. A light aircraft went down while attempting an emergency landing near Toluca International Airport, killing a family traveling from Acapulco along with the two pilots, authorities said.

🎤 Bad Bunny’s Mexico City shows are set to deliver a major economic boost. The Puerto Rican superstar’s tour stop is expected to generate a significant windfall for the capital, with business leaders estimating up to $177 million in economic impact from concerts, tourism, and local spending.

📉 Mexico reports steep drop in daily killings — experts urge caution. Officials say homicides have fallen 37% under President Claudia Sheinbaum, signaling progress on security. Analysts warn the data may obscure other forms of violence, including a rise in forced disappearances. 

🧵 NYT names Sheinbaum among 2025’s most stylish — she credits Indigenous artisans instead. After being named to The New York Times’ list of the most stylish people of the year, President Claudia Sheinbaum redirected the spotlight to Mexico’s Indigenous artisans, praising their creativity, embroidery, and cultural legacy — and using her platform to elevate traditional craftsmanship through what she wears.

🏨 Mexico City hotel prices soar ahead of the 2026 World Cup. An analysis by The New York Times’ sports desk found hotel rates across host cities have surged sharply, with Mexico City seeing increases nearing 1,000%. Prices spiked across North America as opening matches approach, signaling sticker shock for fans well ahead of kickoff.🚣 

🎮 Los Tucanes de Tijuana bring norteño music to Fortnite. The iconic band has entered the gaming world with their hit “La Chona” now featured in Fortnite’s music mode, marking a rare crossover that introduces Mexican regional music to a massive global audience.

📦 Mexico approves tariffs of up to 50% on imports from China and other countries. The new measures target hundreds of products and aim to boost domestic production, taking effect in January 2026 and impacting countries without free trade agreements with Mexico.

🚣 Xochimilco’s canals: from ancient lifeline to party hotspot — and the fight to reclaim them. What looks like a floating fiesta hides a deeper story. Beneath the neon trajineras and weekend revelry, residents and activists are pushing back to protect Xochimilco’s centuries-old canal system, its chinampas, and a fragile ecosystem strained by mass tourism.

💼 Mexico approves 13% minimum wage hike and moves toward a shorter work week. The government announced a nationwide wage increase starting in 2026 and outlined plans to reduce the work week to 40 hours by 2030, brushing aside concerns the changes could stoke inflation.

⚖️ El Chapo’s son pleads guilty in U.S. court, admits to 2024 kidnapping of “El Mayo.” Joaquín Guzmán López pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and acknowledged orchestrating the kidnapping of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, according to U.S. court filings.

CULTURE & HAPPENINGS

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DID YOU KNOW?

That the Aguinaldo is Mexico’s legally required year-end bonus and must be paid by December 20 to anyone you directly employ. Beyond the legal requirement, many people also give a holiday tip to household help and building staff.

  • Cleaning staff you pay directly: If you employ them, aguinaldo is required. A common guideline is 2 weeks to 1 month of pay, depending on how often they work and how long they’ve been with you.
    – Weekly or bi-weekly cleaners usually receive about 2 weeks’ pay
    – Long-term or full-time help may receive closer to 1 month

  • Porteros / vigilantes: Their official aguinaldo is paid by their employer, but many tenants choose to give a personal holiday tip. $500 pesos is a common baseline, with more given if they’ve been especially helpful.

It’s not about perfection — just paying people fairly and closing out the year thoughtfully.

VIRAL VAULT

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Why CDMX IYKYK?
Because staying in the know shouldn’t require 12 tabs, 5 group chats, and a rabbit hole of IG accounts. I created this newsletter to help fellow expats, digital nomads, and the Mexican diaspora feel more connected to life in Mexico — not just the highlights, but the context behind them too.

As someone who spent her childhood in Mexico and came of age across borders, I bring cultural insight that goes beyond translation. This isn’t just curated info; it’s grounded in lived experience, curiosity, and cariño for the motherland.

Whether you’re in Mexico City for a few months or forever, I hope this space helps you navigate, appreciate, and engage more deeply with the city we’re lucky to call home.

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