Associate Professor celebrates Mexican Christmas amid Danish traditions at AAU

By Lea Laursen Pasgaard, AAU Communication and Public Affairs 
Photo: Personal

When December arrives at AAU, it is often the aroma of Danish peppernuts – Danish Christmas cookies – and the sight of pixies – Danish Christmas sprites – that set the scene for Christmas. But for AAU’s staff, Christmas encompasses far more traditions and celebrations than the classic Danish ones. One of these is the Mexican Christmas that Israel Leyva Mayorga, Associate Professor in the Department of Electronic Systems, has brought with him to Aalborg.

He came to Aalborg with his family in 2019 and has now celebrated Christmas here for almost seven years. Today, Mexican Christmas traditions live side by side with the Danish ones in his home.

“Danish Christmas traditions are nice. Most of them help bring people together to make decorations, which is very relaxing. I also like the Christmas dishes, such as caramelized potatoes, roast duck, and – most importantly – the Danish rice pudding, risalamande. It’s also great to have so many Christmas beers to taste,” says Israel Leyva Mayorga.

Mexican Christmas traditions in Aalborg

The Associate Professor explains that in Mexico, the beginning of the Christmas period is celebrated with “posadas” – festive gatherings where families and neighbors come together to sing about Joseph and Mary’s journey before the birth of Jesus. Here, we enjoy regional dishes, break the piñata, and serve the warm fruit drink “ponche”.

“In Mexico, it’s not Santa Claus who gives gifts to kids. Instead, families gather on Christmas Eve and exchange gifts with each other. We also decorate the Christmas tree and the whole house for the Christmas period. Poinsettias are a very common plant for Christmas decorations in Mexico. A typical Mexican Christmas dinner includes an apple and cabbage salad, pork loin in prune sauce, cod and pasta,” he says.

Pixies are not part of Mexican Christmas traditions, but they have found a place in the family’s Christmas celebrations after moving to Aalborg. In addition, the family has brought the tradition of setting up a “nacimiento”—a nativity scene depicting the birth of Jesus with figurines of Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus and the three wise men. After New Year, the visit of the three wise men is celebrated on January 6th when children receive gifts – if they have been good all year.

Community and Cultural Exchange at AAU

Israel Leyva Mayorga and his family typically participate in the International Staff Unit’s annual Christmas event. Here, international staff from across the university gather, and the AAU+1 network for spouses and partners also typically organizes an additional get-together.

“I think AAU does a really good job of integrating other cultures by organizing Christmas events where Danish traditions are shared with us and where there is room to describe our own,” he says.

Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs