Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year and spending it with family is the best way to experience it! If this is your plan for the holidays, you need to read this story about traveling to Mexico to be aware of new restrictions and to get there safely.
Traveling to Mexico this Christmas to Hug the Family
Ricardo lives in San Antonio, TX with his wife and two children. Even when he gets home tired from working 10 hours a day as a data analyst, he finds time to play a little bit with the kids, takes them to bed, and laughs with Ana like they have been doing for 9 years ago when they got married and moved to the U.S. For him, family is an important aspect of life, so when holiday time comes, he can’t let go of the memory of his family back in Mexico and how joyful and festive December used to be.
With the arrival of COVID-19 last year, Ricardo, Ana, and their children lost the chance to spend Christmas with their grandparents and experience their first posada. But this time, things are looking very different. Just days ago, they decided to traveling to Mexico by crossing the border to Monterrey on Christmas Eve to surprise their family.
Once the couple told their children of the holiday plans, they jumped and screamed because they had never been to Mexico before. While Ricardo Jr. of 8 wanted to learn the secrets of asado, Ximena of 5 desired to ride Grandpa Joe’s horses, so this year those wishes would come true.
As a first step, the Sanchez family packed suitcases and purchased warm sweaters and farm boots for the trip to Mexico. Both children decided to draw their own version of a Mexican Christmas with piñatas and family around to give to their grandparents. Once they finished packaging, the family reunited to eat dinner and discuss what they expected to experience from the holidays. Ricardo Jr. and Ximena explained how excited they were to meet their cousins and uncles while Ricardo and Ana spoke about their childhood in Mexico.
The day of the trip to Mexico, the Sanchez got into a vehicle and the father began driving to Laredo to travel to Mexico from US. During the trip, they stopped in Devine to stretch their legs on a farm and sang songs while they drove through Pearsall, Cotulla, and San Ramon. They then drove to Laredo, where they stopped for hours to visit a museum, a cathedral, a park, and got some rest before crossing the Laredo Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry.
Once they got there and their documents were checked by the U.S. border offices according to Mexico travel requirements, Ricardo Jr. and Ximena entered Mexico for the first time in more than a decade. Even when the Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey highway looked pretty similar to the big ones in the U.S., the kids started noticing some differences, like street sellers offering esquites at road stops. They even had the chance to try one; Ricardo Jr. loved it, but Ximena didn’t.
They continued driving for two hours until they got to their grandparents’ ranch. The Sanchez family then got out of the SUV and Ricardo called his parents via cellphone to go out, saying he had a surprise for them. When the grandparents came out, both children ran at them, screaming “abuelos” and hugging them very tightly. The surprise on their parents’ faces is something that Ricardo will never forget about traveling to Mexico.
After several hugs and tears in grandma’s and Ana’s eyes, the Sanchez family came to the ranch to eat the delicious asado that grandpa was making. Ricardo Jr. helped Joe while Ximena was learning how to make tortillas with Grandma Isabel. Obviously, the Sanchez family in Mexico was invited to the reunion and Ana’s family was invited as well.
There were children’s games and a lot of dancing and laughing on Sanchez’s ranch that day. On Christmas Eve, Ricardo, Ana and their children were invited to various posadas with pinatas, music, food, and a few traditions to celebrate the occasion. Now the Sanchez are awaiting the birth of Jesus to be placed in the presebre and continue enjoying a very merry Christmas with their family during their travel to Mexico.
Mexico Travel Requirements
To enter Mexico, you don’t need to provide a negative PCR test or quarantine on arrival, but you must complete a health declaration for sanitary control.
What you need to travel to Mexico from US is your driver’s license, resident ID or passport, and a vehicle permission import that you can import to provide the required documents online. This has a validity of 180 calendar days for Mexicans.
If you are not Mexican, but want to travel to Mexico from US, you need to fill out a Multiple Immigration Form (FMM) that you can request via the internet and work as a tourist visa.
Tips to Travel to Mexico from US this Christmas
Since COVID-19, Mexico has implemented a four-tier traffic light system of restrictions, with red meaning maximum restrictions and green meaning there are no restrictions. We recommend checking this before you cross the border because color affects the number of people entering public places.
To get back to the U.S., the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises travelers to be fully vaccinated before traveling to Mexico to reduce the risk of COVID contagion.
Remember to check the weather to package the right clothes depending on the area, as winter will not feel the same across all of Mexico.
Don’t think twice about spending a colorful holiday season with your family in Mexico! Get La Segura Insurance and travel safely this Christmas!
