Preparing for "Las Posadas"

Today I spent the day at the home of Alejandro and his family.

The courtyard of their home is decorated with a Christmas tree (a concept that was imported from the United States), the traditional "nacimiento" or Nativity scene, and poinsettias, a flower which is native to Mexico.  (In Spanish they are called "flor de Nochebuena"... Christmas Eve flower.)

After dinner we all began the preparations for "Las Posadas", the traditional Mexican celebrations which are held on the nine nights prior to Christmas.  Alejandro's family is hosting a neighborhood "posada" on Wednesday evening.  We made up the "aguinaldos", the little goodie bags that are given out to the children.

(photo taken by Alejandro)

For the "posada" they purchased not one, not two, but three piñatas!  You can find all sorts of piñatas in the marketplaces, but the traditional piñata is made with a clay pot, and has seven points which represent the Seven Deadly Sins.  Thus the breaking of the piñata originally represented the struggle against evil, but for Mexican children today it is simply part of the fun of the Christmas season.  We filled the piñatas with candy.

I will be attending Wednesday night's "posada".  It will be the first time that I have participated in one.  I will tell you more about this most Mexican of Christmas traditions in a future post.