When we think of Christmas, we feel it is one of the most beautiful times of the year, when people want to be with their family and friends in order to celebrate the birth of Christ. But this is not possible for everybody; there are many people who are away from home and might feel lonely and sad about Christmas.
When Charter Club Tours started doing the Mexico City Christmas Tour ten years ago, we had three very good reasons in mind. The first was to have some of Lakeside’s residents spend the Christmas holidays with a nice group of people, make new friends, and not feel sad and lonely. They would also celebrate Christmas in a pleasant environment while visiting interesting places. On Christmas Eve, a dinner would be served, and everybody would enjoy the company, the food, the Christmas carols, as well as the warm atmosphere.
The second reason was to take the group to Mexico City because even though this is the biggest city in the world with more than 25 million inhabitants, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and only after you experience it will you understand why it is so important to visit.
The third reason was to choose the best time of the year to go, when the city is not crowded, and it’s easy to drive, walk, and visit all the cultural attractions easily. The first part of December is the busiest time, when people receive their aguinaldo (Christmas bonus) and start doing their Christmas shopping. On December 12 there is a big celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Thousands of people from all over Mexico go to visit La Virgen. This makes it very difficult to get around, to find parking places, hotels and restaurants, as well as to visit places of interest.
After December 20, the residents start their vacation; many people leave the city to spend the holidays with their families in other parts of Mexico, while others go to the beach to enjoy their vacation. The ones who stay remain at home to relax, so the city looks empty. This is when the city is truly beautiful; there are no crowds, 70% less cars and almost no pollution, so it is easy to get around the city either by bus or walking, and visiting the sights is easy since they are not closed to the public at this time of the year.
The people who go on our tour will have the opportunity to see and understand a different Mexico, the fusion of two cultures, the Spanish and the Pre-Hispanic. At the Museum of Anthropology you will learn about the most important cultures of the Pre-Hispanic world. Travel back through time when you visit the History Museum in the Chapultepec Castle to the events that have given form to the Mexico of today. You will also enjoy the Emperor Maximilian and Carlota’s way of life, during the time when they tried to make an empire of our country.
We also experience the happy and romantic Mexico when we visit Xochimilco, the floating gardens, where we will ride a trajinera (a typical boat) and listen to mariachi music while enjoying a Mexican lunch.
We also see another side of Mexico, when we visit the historical center and walk through the corridors of the imposing National Palace and admire on its walls the beautiful and colorful murals painted by Diego Rivera. We also visit the house of his wife, Frida Kahlo, in Coyoacan, one of the oldest and truly unique neighborhoods.
There is also beautiful sightseeing by day, and at night, time to admire the disitinctive Christmas decorations.
We also have a very nice side-trip to the exciting silver city of TAXCO, as well as to the Teotihuacán Pyramids, along with many more surprises. So, give yourself the Christmas present you deserve; it’s sure to be a Christmas you will never forget.
