Christmas in Playa Del Carmen
Spending time in Playa Del Carmen during the holidays can still give you that Christmas feeling. The tropical breezes and sunny days can make it hard but there are plenty of signs of the season. Of course you may miss some things like shoveling snow and the bitter cold but you may soon like the traditions here! We spread out around Playa to take photos to show you what it looks like around here. We hope you enjoy!
Stores Decorated for Christmas in Playa Del Carmen
Poinsettias more Mexican than you think!
Each year the park in front of the Palacio Municipal is lined with poinsettia plants. These plants are actually native to Central America and especially an area of southern Mexico called Taxco Del Alarcon. The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett. He was the first Ambassador from the United States to Mexico in 1825. When he was in the Taxco area he took a liking to the plants and sent some back to his greenhouse in South Carolina. He then stated sending them to other botanical gardens and by 1830 the plant took the name of Poinsettia.
In Spanish these plants are known as “Noche Buena” or “Holy Night” because of a local legend and miracle on Christmas Eve.
Christmas decorations in Playa Del Carmen
Our favorite place for Christmas decorations
If you are in Playa and want to get some local decorations check out our article on this cute little store to buy decorations.
Holiday ballet in Playa Del Carmen
Want to get in the spirit of the holidays? Every year Coppelia’s Ballet puts on one or two public performances for the holidays at their school in the center of Playa. Usually it is the heart warming ballet “The Nut Cracker”. Students of the ballet age 5-25 perform. The young children are very cute to watch. You can check their Facebook or contact them to see dates for performances. The cost is usually 100 pesos and goes to support the school and their sponsorship program for children who cannot afford classes.
Christmas trees around Playa Del Carmen
Christmas shopping around Playa Del Carmen
Houses Decorated for Christmas
Decorations in the Park
Quinta Avenida was also decorated with lights to the delight of shoppers
For about a month before Christmas things start to be decorated. Everyone starts shopping at Buen Fin weekend. The excitement grows and people have parties called posadas. Posada in Spanish means “Inn” or “place to stay”, so these parties are traditionally called after the story of Jesus being born and his family asking if there is space in the Inn. There are also traditional foods like ponche, a drink made from dried fruits and spices, there is bread called rosca, which is like Mexican fruitcake, and many other local traditional foods and drinks. Gifts are exchanged on the 24th in Mexico and many people have a nice dinner on Christmas Eve. Restaurants on 5th Avenue are open and many people are extra merry while walking home after parties or a nice dinner with drinks. Fireworks and piñatas are used to celebrate at peoples homes. Resorts all have trees and decorations up for guest.
On Christmas Day you can find people going to the beach or taking a stroll on 5th Avenue. Children are out riding their new bikes and enjoying the day in the warm weather. A lot of restaurants are open on Christmas Day and about 25% of the stores are open in the morning on 5th Avenue. By the afternoon most stores on 5th Avenue start to open.
So don’t worry if you are in Playa Del Carmen for the holidays, you can get the spirit and warm feeling in more than one way!
Do you have some special Christmas traditions you like in Playa Del Carmen? Let us know in the comment box below. We would love to hear from you.
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This Christmas im coming down to lovely Playa del Carmen from Canada!
We have rented a beautiful beach villa.
I am wondering where we can go for a Christmas dinner out in town (with 10 people) !?
I feel it would be better to have this arranged before we go..
Do you have any recommendations?
Hello. Well we have some questions for you. Are you looking for a traditional meal or just a nice dinner out? Are you open to all budgets? Most restaurants will be open and will be offering meals. If you like more traditional foods you could try Moms, Wah Wah and Zenzi. These three will be more causal and you can check their Facebook pages for what they are doing for Christmas When it gets closer.
Some other nice options might be Casa Del Agua and Bovinos might put on a feast. It will be the first year for Christmas in Playa for them.
When we get closer to the holiday we will try to share some of the restaurant’s menus so you have a good selection to choose from. We hope you have an amazing time in Playa!
I am going to be in playa del Carmen for Christmas this year…what is a good recommendation for a traditional Christmas Day dinner restaurant!!
Most nicer restaurants offer a menu but maybe not a full dinner like you are used to. This list is a good place to start. You can also check to see what Mayakoba is offering. That will be a upscale dinner option. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/dinner-restaurants-playa-del-carmen/
It is funny to see Christmas in the tropics. We hope to come this year for New Years and Christmas in Playa Del Carmen. Your pictures inspire us to leave the cold behind and stand in front of that Santa statue in out bathing suites for our Christmas card. haha
We are coming down to Playa for this Christmas and looking forward to the warm weather. It is funny to seethe Santa suit in the park picture with the guy mowing the grass! We hope to take a picture in our bathing suites there this year for our Christmas card. hahaha
Your galleries are fun to look at and give me more a feel for what it is like in Playa Del Carmen. I like that you guys take all your own photos and don’t copy and paste other peoples.
Hello we are planning a trip to Playa Del Carmen for Christmas. It will be our first time we will not be at home. It will be fun to see what it is like there. Thanks for the photos.
We cannot wait to come for Christmas this year. We are looking forward to making new family traditions in Playa Del Carmen and less snow!
Christmas is our favorite time in Playa Del Carmen. We love the energy and the lights on 5th Avenue. This year we are staying through new years to party on 12th Street.
Will you be making a video this year of Christmas in Playa Del Carmen? I think it would be a fun idea.
Hello. We will try to make one to show you what it is like here during Christmas time. We are sure it will be a different type of white Christmas then you might be used to. 🙂
Thanks ffor sharing your photos of Christmas time in Playa del Carmen. I really appreciate your efforts and I will be waiting for your further galleries of life there.
Oh mmy goodness! I want aa green Christmas this year! It looks nice and tropical there. I would forgo the snow for this for sure!!
Thank you these pictures are great. Do you have any idea when they light the Christmas tree on 5th avenue? We will be there this year for Thanksgiving 2016.
Best,
Nan
They are building the tree now on 5th Avenue. We are not sure when they light it, but it is not a huge ceremony or anything. We will let you know if we hear something.
Pretty great post. Thanks for all the photos and keeping us informed about Playa Del Carmen. We hope to come down this year for Christmas.
For my family and I, it will be next year that we could be at PDC for Christmas. I went to playa 2 times with my boyfriend but I really want to show this fabulous place to my parents. Thank you for your pretty great posts. It’s a real pleasure to read you from Canada.
Thanks so much and we just sent you an email about your ADO question. We hope you have a great trip down and by the time you get here we will have a lot more places for you to check out.
We are coming for our first visit this Christmas. Your site has been invaluable!! Great job. We plan to visit Tulum and Coba. Will they be open on Christmas morning? Will guides be available that day? Also, do you if the cenotes nearby will be open as well? WE are renting a car for the day to see all three of these things on Christmas day. Thanks for your help
The ruins are open all days but since cenotes are privately run, they might be hit or miss. You might choose to visit Grand Cenote because it is near Tulum ruins and if it is closed you only drove 3 km out of the way.