All around the world cultures come together to celebrate the Christmas holidays. From decorating trees to roasting chestnuts, there are many ways to participate in this festive time of year. Infinity Insurance Agency, Inc. (IIA) loves celebrating our communities holiday traditions. All over Mexico and Latin America, families and communities engage in a beautiful event known as Las Posadas. The Las Posadas holiday is a cultural celebration carried out every year during the nine days leading up to Christmas. Las Posadas translates to ‘the inns’ and is a religious commemoration of the infamous journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe place to stay where Mary could give birth to baby Jesus. Traditionally, las Posadas features processions of carolers, pinatas, and festive food and drink. Throughout Mexico and Latin America, Las Posadas continue as a way to keep these cultural traditions and customs alive.
The history of Las Posadas
Las Posadas originally began in Mexico as a way for Spaniards to share Christmas traditions with the native people and evangelize them to attend church. In the beginning, Las Posadas was celebrated by masses that began on December 16th. These masses would include representations of Mary and Joseph and culminate in a party that included a pinata filled with fruit and sweets. These treats were meant to symbolize the sweet joy of a union with God. Eventually, Las Posadas became more focused on the community and transitioned into a family tradition celebrated in people’s neighborhoods and homes. The community would be divided into two groups, one representing the ‘outside’ or the party of Mary and Joseph, and the other representing the ‘inside’ or the innkeepers. Both groups would sing the posada litany, or song, and re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter until they were given shelter by the final inn. This touching tradition has now spread to countries throughout Latin America including Guatemala, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
When and how is Las Posadas celebrated?
Las Posadas is celebrated from December 16th to the 24th, these nine nights are meant to represent the nine months of Mary’s pregnancy. The procession generally begins with statues of Mary and Joseph being carried down the streets. Within the group, members will dress up as angels and shepherds and two individuals will be selected to play Mary and Joseph. Children also play a crucial role in Las Posadas, dressing in silver and gold and carrying candles and/or images or clay figures of Mary and Joseph riding a donkey. The group will split up and knock on the doors of homes in the community looking for shelter. As the groups arrive at the door, they will sing a song called “La Canción Para Pedir Posada," to see if the innkeepers will offer them shelter. The ‘outside’ participants will be denied lodging until they arrive at their destination, or where the Posada party will be hosted. Alongside merriment, songs, and treats, Las Posadas contains a strong religious and spiritual significance. Each night participants may take part in a novena, a series of prayers practiced over the nine days, each related to the Nativity story. Finally, Los Posadas culminates in a big celebration and traditional mass for La Noche Buena or ‘The Good Night’ to usher in Christmas Day.
Key traditions and elements of Las Posadas
Curious about the most popular Las Posadas traditions? This joyful celebration of Mary and Joseph’s journey is marked by processions, known as peregrinos. This procession which mimics Mary and Joseph’s trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem is a symbolic representation of the human spirit’s quest for acceptance and unity.
Other elements and traditional foods you can expect to find during Las Posadas include:
- Pinatas - many times pinatas for Las Posadas will have seven spikes to represent the star of Bethlehem.
- Aguinaldo or bolo - these are small bags filled with candy, seasonal fruits, and peanuts given to children during posadas.
- Tamales - a warm savory treat made of masa, or dough which is steamed in a corn husk and stuffed with a meat filling.
- Ponche Navideno - a warm fruit punch drink made with tejocote (Mexican hawthorn), sugarcane, tamarind, apple, pear, guava, and cinnamon sticks.
- Bunuelos - a deep-fried Mexican dessert that can be made into disc or ball-shaped and dusted in cinnamon sugar.
- Atole - a hot beverage made by steeping brown sugar cane and cinnamon in water, then thickening with corn flour, and adding milk.
Religious and cultural importance of Las Posadas
While Las Posadas may have begun as a religious festival, today it has expanded to become a celebration of spirituality, family, and community values. Throughout Mexico and Latin America, las Posadas are held throughout the holiday season at schools or hosted as end-of-the-year parties for families, students, and teachers. Las Posadas is important in the Catholic tradition as it reminds us of Mary and Joseph's struggle to find shelter and emphasizes the strength of community and kindness in times of hardship.
Modern-day celebrations of Las Posadas
Modern-day celebrations of Las Posadas have come to include any party held around Christmas time. Families and communities gather for carols, Ponche, and platters piled high with tamales. Today many Latin-American communities in the US carry on the traditions of Las Posadas with celebrations such as the annual La Gran Posada in San Antonio, Texas. At the San Fernando Cathedral locals and visitors alike congregate for a prayer service and traditional pilgrimage complete with singing and music.
How to participate in Las Posadas
Ready to host or participate in your own Las Posadas? Utilize our following tips to host a top-notch Las Posadas get-together:
- Divide your guests into groups and take part in the Las Posadas litany
- Organize a re-enactment of the Pastorela, or the representation/play of the birth of Christ
- Have any invited children dress up like angels and/or Mary and Joseph
- Obtain a brightly colored and seven spiked Pinata to be filled with treats
- Serve your guests warm mugs of Ponche and piping hot Bunuelos.
Full of song, music, and religious symbolism, the celebration of Las Posadas is a vivid representation of Mexican and Latin American culture. From the excitement of destroying a pinata to the significance of learning the Las Posadas litany, every moment of this holiday is a joyful representation of faith, family, and community.
IIA is proud to be a supporter of the Latin American community and would love to know how you celebrate Las Posadas where you live.
More than just a supporter of community outreach, IIA is here to help you discover auto coverage for your specific needs. To speak to one of our Spanish-bilingual team members and receive a free quote call: 1-855-478-3705.