FOR this week, we will focus on the lives of the people living in Mexico and their cultural background.

1 Mexican children do not receive presents on Christmas Day. They receive gifts on January 6, the day on which Mexicans celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

2 Spanish conquerors brought bullfighting to Mexico, which is now the national sport of Mexico. Bullfighting takes place from November to April, and the Plaza Mexico is the largest bullring in the world.

3 Mexico’s flag is made up of three vertical stripes. The left green stripe stands for hope, the middle white stripe represents purity, and the right red stripe represents the blood of the Mexican people. The picture of an eagle eating a snake is based on an Aztec legend.

4 The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog and is named for a Mexican state.

5 Even though over 50 native tongues are still spoken in rural locations, Spanish is the national language of Mexico. In fact, Mexico is the most populated Spanish-speaking country in the world.

6 Before 1958, women in Mexico could not vote in presidential elections. Women, however, did play an important role in the 1910 revolution, serving as spies, arms smugglers, and soldaderas or soldiers.

7 Actor Anthony Quinn was the first Mexican to win an Academy Award for his role in the 1952 movies Viva Zapata.

8 The Chichen Itza Pyramid in Mexico was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

9 Mexico introduced chocolate, corn, and chilies to the world.

10 The largest wildcat in North America is the jaguar, which can be found in Mexico’s southern jungles.

— Melaine Warren