Today we travel to Mexico to learn about Las Posadas they’ll be celebrating Las Posadas for nine days! Unofficially, the holidays in Mexico begin with the saint’s day of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, but decorations can appear any time after the Day of the Dead on November 2.
Starting on December16, the posadas start. Every evening until the 24th, Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem is reenacted. These are a novenario, or nine days of religious observance and are based on the nine months that Mary carried Jesus. The word posada means ‘lodging’ in Spanish:
“Traditionally, a party is held each night in a neighborhood home. At dusk, guests gather outside the house with children dressed as shepherds, angels and sometimes, Mary andJoseph. An angel leads the procession, followed by Mary and Joseph or by guestscarrying their images. The adults follow, carrying lighted candles. The“pilgrims” sing a song asking for shelter, and the hosts sing a reply, finallyopening the doors to the guests and offering hot ponche, fried rosette cookiesknown as buñuelos, steaming hot tamales and other festive foods.” –source mexconnect
In the U.S., the Posada is usually celebrated on one night only, but as in Mexico, ends with a piñata in the shape of the Christmas star!
In both counties, the procession marches to the different houses in the neighborhood and is turned down at each one until they reach the site of the night’s party where they are finally welcomed inside, and the party can start!
In Mexico, the last posada, on December24, is followed by a midnight mass.
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