Hispanic Las Posadas

1. HispanicLas Posadas

2. The info. • Las Posadas (Spanish for "The Inns") is a nine-day celebration with origins in Mexico beginning December 16th and ending December 24th. It is a yearly tradition for many Catholic Mexicans and some other Latin-Americans and symbolizes the trials which Mary and Joseph endured before finding a place to stay where Jesus could be born, based on the passage in the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke (2:1-9): "Now, at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census -- the first -- took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his home town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and traveled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and lineage, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields a dn took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them." It is a very important Christmas Tradition for the people of Latin America. As a present they give coal and rocks to they young kids'

3. Ritual • Every home has a nativity scene and the hosts of the Posada act as the innkeepers. The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (Peregrinos), who have to request lodging by singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. All the pilgrims carry small lit candles in their hands, and four people carry small statues of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding. The head of the procession will have a candle inside a paper lamp shade, or “forolito” • The pilgrims will symbolically ask for lodging at three different houses, but only the third one will allow them in. That will be the house where the Posada will be held for that evening. Once the "innkeepers" let them in, the group of guests come into the home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray (typically, the Rosary). This is followed by the singing of traditional Christmas songs and a party for the children, including a pinate. • Traditionally, it is expected to meet all the invitees in a previous procession.

4. Mexico • In Mexico the tradition consists of a group of hosts (may be one family in one home or a number of families in the neighborhood) that prepare a typical dinner to "host" the rest of the neighbors (usually a block or section of the neighborhood). Each one of the nine days a different family (or group of families) offer to be the hosts, so that the whole neighborhood or section participates. • Every home will have a Nativity scene. The hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and the neighborhood children and adults are the peregrinos, who have to request lodging through singing a simple chant. All carry small lit velas in their hands and four teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry the peregrinos, which are two small statues of St.Joeseph leading a donkey, on which Virgin Mary is riding side-saddle. The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lamp shade that looks like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a “farolito” or little lantern. • The peregrinos will ask for lodging by singing the traditional litany outside of the house that is supposed to have the posada for that evening. Once the innkeepers let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and kneels around the Nativity scene to pray the rosary. The rosary is a traditional Catholic prayer, which consists of the following prayers: 50 Hail Marys, 5 Our Fathers, 5 Glories and the Litany, which is a series of praises for the Virgin Mary , plus singing traditional songs like Holy Night. • Las Posadas (Spanish for "the inn") is a traditional Mexican festival which re-enacts Joseph's search for room at the inn. Each Christmas season, a processional carrying a doll representing Baby Jesus and images of Joseph and Mary riding a burro walks through the community streets. The processional stops at a previously selected home and asks for lodging for the night. The people are invited in to read scriptures and sing Christmas carols called villancicos. Refreshments are provided by the hosts. • Baby Jesus was left at the chosen home and picked up on the next night when the processional begins again. This continues for eight nights in commemoration of the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The nine posadas are part of the Guadalupea-rayes marathon.

5. Piñata • After all the prayer is done, then the party for the children starts. There will be a piñata filled with peanuts in the shell, oranges, tangerines, candy canes, and sometimes wrapped hard candy. There will be other types of chants the children will sing while the child in turn is trying to break the piñata with a stick while he/she will be a blindfolded. Although the piñata was originally from Italy, it has become a Mexican tradition for celebrations where there are children involved. The piñata was made out of a clay pot and decorated with crepe paper in different colors. Today’s piñatas are made out of cardboard and paper Mache techniques and decorated with crepe paper. For the adults there is always “”ponche””, which is a hot beverage or punch made out of seasonal fruits and cinnamon sticks, with a shot of alcoholic spirit