The BIG Mexican Christmas: Served in a bowl with a bit of tequila

Mexicans have delighted the world with dishes like burritos, quesadillas, tacos and guacamole.

But no Christmas celebration is complete without a drink called ponche con piquette, says Mexican chef Luis Cabrera.

The punch is made with pulped sugar cane, prunes, apples and a fruit called tejocotes and is mixed with spices like cinnamon.

Cabrera, who owns Besos Latinos, a restaurant serving Latin American cuisine, describes it as "Christmas in a bowl".

"It is usually quite cold in Mexico at this time of year, and a hot mug of ponche brings warmth and comfort to those who drink it," he said.

"Adults often are served ponche with a bit of tequila or rum in it."

Christmas in Mexico is not a one-day affair, but a fiesta that starts from December 16 and goes on until February 2.

Cecilia Mijangos, Cabrera's wife, said: "Everything about Christmas is big in Mexico."

The couple plan to share a bit of the Mexican Christmas cheer through their restaurant, which is located inside Elliot Stables in central Auckland.

"For Mexicans, Christmas is a big party time with the family, and food plays a central role," Mijangos said.

It is traditional for families to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve, she said, before returning home for a late-night feast.

"The whole village, including uncles, aunts, friends, neighbours, cousins and distant cousins will drop by to wish Merry Christmas and eat," she said.

Turkey is native to Mexico and is another must-have at a Mexican Christmas dinner table.

It's usually served with ensalada de noche buena, a salad that include grapes, apples, carrots, pineapple, pecans and jicama.

On the Christmas menu at Besos Latinos, roast turkey is served with a side of ensalada de manzana and Mexican-style spaghetti.

Several members of breast cancer charity Sweet Louise were invited by the Herald to experience the Christmas fare.

Artist Nicky Foreman, who sampled her first Mexican Christmas dinner at the restaurant, found the ponche to be "delicious".

"It's served cold for us in our summer but normally served hot in Mexico," she said.

Foreman and her two other dining mates had a Christmas fruit platter to start before their mains.

They finished the meal with apple crumble and cafe de olla, or Mexican-style coffee with sugarcane and cinnamon.

"The meal really gave us a sense of a Christmas Mexican feast," she said.

Mexican Christmas celebrations begin with posadas, processions on each of the nine nights leading up to Christmas Eve.

Communities re-enact the story of Joseph and Mary seeking a room for the birth of Jesus, which usually ends with a party in the house where they are let in.

At the last census, there were 711 Mexicans in New Zealand, 44 per cent who lived in the Auckland region.

Six in 10 were affiliated with at least one religion, and about four in 10 were Catholics.