Mexico fortunately isn’t wracked by the linguistic controversy that has swept France in recent years: the conflict over when to use the informal form of “you” (tú) and the formal form (vous in French, usted in Spanish).

Mexico’s celebration of Christmas begins in earnest on Tuesday, December 16, when the the first traditional posada takes to the streets in towns and villages across the country.

A growing number of expatriate residents are mystified and miffed at being subjected to a sudden shift in the way they were accustomed to doing banking business here. Many are feeling hassled because certain south-of-the-border financial establishments that are now refusing to handle U.S. dollar checks.

With major changes in Mexican law that began in 2012 and 2013, people coming from outside Mexico to work here are finding it necessary to do more advance planning than in the past.

The place: the huge terrace of a hotel in Guadalajara’s Providencia neighborhood.