Mexican Christmas´ festivity

The Posada

Every night from December 16th, family and friends will gather and celebrate a Posada. The Posadas is a Mexican festivity that starts 9 nights before Christmas and it commemorates the journey that the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph did to search for a place or an inn to stay and where Jesus could be born.

In a traditional Posada, there will be a procession, which visits several selected houses and where lodging is refused, although refreshments are provided. At each stop, passages of the Bible are read. Mass is celebrated afterwards and then children break piñatas filled mainly with fruit and candies.

The Piñata

The piñata in the Posada is the festivity´s highlight for the kids, and it is full of symbolism.

The seven points of a traditional piñata represent the seven deadly sins. The pot represents evil and the seasonal fruit and candy inside represent the temptations of evil. The person with the stick is blindfolded to represent faith. The turning, singing and shouting represent the disorientation that temptation creates. These interpretations were given to the piñata for catechism purposes.

Making a pinata is not that difficult and kids will love to help in its elaboration.

How to make a pinata guideline.