On December 22, 1997, dozens of Mascara Roja paramilitaries entered a church in Acteal, Chiapas and slaughtered those praying inside. The 45 victims, members of pacifist Christian organization Las Abejas, included 15 children – the youngest being a two-month-old baby – and 21 women – four of whom were pregnant.

Mexican citizens cling tenaciously to their own familiar ways of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Among these are the popular nacimientos (nativity scenes or creches) which can be found in public places and private homes all over Mexico from mid-December through Three Kings Day on January 6.

Nowadays most Mexicans tend to pooh pooh traditional hand-made wooden toys as suitable seasonal gifts for young ones.  But foreigners in search of a “cultural alternative” for their young children or grandchildren can find a wealth of inexpensive toys with both educational and practical value at some of Guadalajara’s covered markets, in particular, the Mercado San Juan de Dios (or Libertad) in the city center.

Symbols such as Christmas trees and Old Saint Nick are universally known in Guadalajara as the harbingers of the holiday season. But there’s another sign that Christmas is just around the corner: Noche Buena beer.

The number of home burglaries in the Guadalajara metropolitan area in 2012 is already on course to surpass last year’s total, with 2,829 incidents in the metro area’s four main municipalities reported to the Jalisco Attorney General’s Office (PGJEJ) between January 1 to October 31. Of these, 1,162 took place in Guadalajara, 997 in Zapopan, 374 in Tlaquepaque and 296 in Tonala.

Wednesday, December 12 is one of the most revered days in Mexico’s religious calendar.