Night of the Radishes: A Unique Christmas Tradition in Southern Mexico
Down in the southern state of Oaxaca in Mexico, December 23rd is the date of a special festival called la Noche de Rábanos, or the Night of the Radishes. Every year in the city center, people from all over the state set up displays with incredibly detailed radish sculptures. Each artist puts a lot of time into their work of art, as the winner receives cash prize money and the glory of being crowned champion. Oaxacans and tourists alike eagerly await the date and line up starting in the afternoon for a chance to see the year’s radish art.
Origins of the festival
Over a hundred years ago, there was a market held on December 23rd called la Vigila de Navidad, which was a special Christmas market for people to buy ingredients, decorations, and so on. The story goes that vendors at this market would carve radishes to decorate their stalls and make them more attractive to shoppers. The carved radishes were a hit; people loved them and would buy them to take home as Christmas decorations.
At this point you might be wondering “why radishes?” No doubt because radishes are ready to harvest at this time of year and are in plentiful supply. In addition, their bright red skin and crisp white inner flesh lend themselves to making striking designs when carved. Over the years, it is said, the vendors would compete to see who could make the best sculptures, until this tradition evolved into today’s annual festival which draws tourists from all over the world.
Radish scenes
The radishes used in the festival are grown to be bigger than normal (up to 3kg), and are harvested just a week beforehand. Every year leading up to the festival there is an air of anticipation, and people are excited to see what designs the artists will come up with. Types of sculptures are divided into traditional designs and “free” designs. The traditional designs include nativity scenes, other religious scenes, or designs related to Oaxaca. Free designs can be anything, but sometimes include famous people, animals, or abstract designs. There are also two other types of plant sculptures, one made from flowers, another made from cornhusk.
As you walk through the rows radish art you’ll be treated to live music by bands in the surrounding town square, and even fireworks at the end. Close by you can find delicious street food, Christmas markets, traditional hot drinks to warm you up, and many galleries and stores, all lit up with lights and looking festive for the holidays.
For people wanting to spend a Christmas abroad, Oaxaca is an excellent place to visit at this time of year. There are dozens of different events to see or participate in along with la Noche de Rábanos. The weather in December ranges from warm to chilly in Oaxaca City (20° Celsius on average), and the sky is often sunny and cloudless, making it a perfect vacation spot for people coming from wintery climates.
