Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon

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Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon is a concept typical of Mexican culture. It began in the decade of the 1990's and informally refers to the vacational period from December 12 (Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe) to January 6 (Day of the Magi or "Tres Reyes Magos"). During this period there are several holidays which, linked together, create a "marathon" of festivities. During this twenty-five-day-party-marathon, many people ingest alcoholic beverages non-stop as a resistance "race", not unlike a marathon.

The celebrations linked together by the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon are:

• December 12th: Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
• Every evening from December 16th to December 24th: The 9 Posadas parties.
• December 24th: Last posada and Christmas Eve (Nochebuena).
• December 25th: Christmas
• December 28th: Holy Innocent's day, which in Mexico is remembered playing practical jokes.
• December 31st: New Year's Eve
• January 1st: New Year's Day
• January 6th: Day of the Three Kings
• The last celebration of the season is Day of Candelaria on February 2nd. In Mexico, this festivity is linked to the feast of the Magi on January 6th by the traditional Rosca de Reyes. It is also common to celebrate consuming the traditional atole and tamales. However, being almost a month away from all the celebrations that happen in late December and early January, it is excluded from the "Marathon".

The name of the marathon (Guadalupe Reyes) has also been used in advertising. Certain comedy shows sometimes feature the fictional character of "Guadalupe Reyes", a proper Mexican name which can belong either to either a male or a female.

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