by Greg Martinez
In Spanish-speaking countries, Christmas Eve is known as “La Noche Buena.” My wife is from Mexico, and since we have been married, we typically spend Christmas Eve in Tijuana with her side of the family. We spend Christmas day at my house in the suburbs of San Diego. Although I would prefer to spend Christmas Eve in my house, I have come to appreciate this bicultural tradition of ours. Noche Buena is filled with food, fun, family, and fireworks.
Noche Buena actually has other meanings important to the celebration of the holidays. It is the Spanish word for the plant known in English as poinsettia. This plant is native to Mexico and Central America. Its English name comes from former American ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant to the United States in 1828. The plant’s association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico. The star-shaped pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem.
Noche Buena is also the name of a beer that is only sold in Mexico once a year during the holidays. It is a dark lager bock beer that is strong enough to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. The bottles feature a picture of the noche buena plant and have the year printed on them. The beer is brewed by Cervecería Cuahtemoc, makers of Dos Equis beer of “most interesting man in the world” fame. I have a 12-pack my wife brought me from TJ and I am sure there will be some cold Noche Buenas waiting for me in TJ on Christmas Eve.
The festivities on Noche Buena include a piñata for the children. The kids also like the fireworks. They can be purchased from street vendors or at small neighborhood stores in TJ. The food on Noche Buena typically includes tamales and turkey. The beverages include ponche navideña, a traditional Mexican Christmas punch. We usually eat dinner late. The climax of the evening is when the kids open the presents. We bring some presents for our kids to open on Noche Buena, but generally leave the good ones to open on Christmas morning on the American side of our bicultural Christmas.
The festivities are at a little house my wife owns in TJ where her sister and brother-in-law live. When we got married, the streets were not paved in that area and made for a frustrating drive. The roads were paved several years ago and the house was upgraded with a cement patio and a second bathroom, so it is now a decent party location. The drive home can be stressful, since it involves crossing the border. We have gotten better over the years at monitoring the border wait and crossing the border before the wait became unbearable. Although I enjoy Noche Buena in Tijuana, the border crossing is one of those sacrifices I make to keep my wife happy.
Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas to all!
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be understood to be shared by Being Latino, Inc.
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