What Holidays Does Mexico Celebrate?

National holidays in Mexico where employees are entitled to a day off are:

New Year’s Day (1-1)
Constitution Day (1st Monday in February) - commemorates the Constitution of 1917
Birthday of Benito Juarez (3rd Monday of March) - Benito Juarez was a popular and effective president of Mexico from 1861 to 1872
Labor Day (5-1)
Independence Day (9-16) - celebrates the start of the Independence War in 1810
Revolution Day (3rd Monday in November) - represents the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1910
Change of Federal Government (12-1) - celebrated every six years when a new president is sworn into office
Christmas (12-25)

Civic Holidays Celebrated in Mexico

Other kinds of holidays that Mexico celebrates are civic holidays. Civic holidays do not entitle anyone to a day off and are:

Army’s Day (2-19)
Flag Day (2-24)
Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation (3-18) - celebrates the oil expropriation by President Cardenas in 1938
Heroic Defense of Veracruz (4-21) - commemorates the defense against US occupation of Veracruz in 1914
Fifth of May (5-5) - the day the Mexican Army was victorious against French forces in Puebla
Miguel Hidalgo’s Birthday (5-8) - one of the initiators of the Mexican Independence War
Marine’s Day (6-1)
Boy Heroes Day (9-13) - represents the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847
Cry of Dolores (9-15) - commemorates the protest led by Miguel Hidalgo at the start of the Independence War in 1810
End of Independence War (9-27) - celebrates the end of the war in 1821
Morelos’ Birthday (9-30) - Jose Morelos was a founding father of Mexico
Columbus Day (10-12)

Other holidays celebrated in Mexico are:

Epiphany (1-6) - Epiphany is also called Three Kings Day, is the day that the three wise men visited the Christ child and brought him gifts. One fun custom on this day is Rosca de Reyes, which is sweet bread with candied fruits. When it is made, figures of babies are hidden in the dough. Whoever gets one in his piece has to host a party before Candlemas, which is February 2nd.
Valentine’s Day (2-14)

Carnaval (falls on different dates each year) - Carnaval is like Mardi Gras; a celebration before Lent. It starts the weekend before Lent and includes parades, costumes, music, dancing, and general merrymaking. Lent is a forty day period when Catholics give up certain carnal pleasures. It comes from a word meaning “take away” or “goodbye to flesh” which refers to the practice of not eating meat during Lent.

Easter (falls on different dates each year)
Children’s Day (4-30)
Mother’s Day (5-10)
Teacher’s Day (5-15)
Student’s Day (5-23)
Father’s Day (3rd Sunday in June)
All Saints Day (11-1) and All Soul’s Day (11-2)
The Day of the Dead (11-1 and 11-2) - celebrates the unity between life and death. It is merged with All Saints Day and All Souls Day. On October 31st, families clean their houses and decorate altars at the home and gravesites and spirits are expected to return to their homes.
Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (12-12) - a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to an Indian at Tepeyac, which is near Mexico City. She left an image of herself on a piece of cactus cloth which has not deteriorated in all the years since 1531. She brought a message of love and compassion. Her mass is celebrated with a Mariachi band.
Las Posadas (12/16 - 12/24) - marks the beginning of the Christmas season and is nine days of parties and candlelight processions, which include children dressed as angels, the Three Kings, shepherds, etc.
Day of the Innocents (12-28) - is like April Fool's Day. People pull practical jokes on one another, don’t believe anything anyone says, and refuse to lend money. After being pranked, the prankster says, “"inocente palomita, caiste," which means "innocent dove, you fell for it."