A Posada - Dance Party

For nine nights prior to Christmas, "posadas", processions representing Joseph and Mary seeking lodging, are held throughout Mexico.  Last night a "posada" was held in Alejandro's neighborhood.

Alejandro and I were inside a neighbor's house, part of the "inside" group.  The other neighbors were outside, singing the "posada" litany, asking for lodging.  Those inside kept turning them away.  Finally, the insiders sing, "You are José?  Your wife is María?  Enter pilgrims.  I did not recognize you."  The doors are flung open.

 

Hot Christmas punch was served to everyone, and then the fun part for the children began... the breaking of the piñatas.  We had a total of eight piñatas!  Alejandro provided two of them and earlier that day had bought candy to fill them.  A rope from which the piñatas were hung was strung across the street.  A neighbor stood in a balcony and held one end of the rope.  He kept pulling on the rope to make the piñata a moving target.

The piñata originally had a religious meaning.  It traditionally has seven cones representing the seven deadly sins.  When you break the piñata, you are symbolically defeating sin and receiving the reward of the goodies inside.

To make things a bit more difficult, some of the children were blindfolded.

Even the toddlers were given a chance to poke at the piñata.

When the children had all had a turn, the adults tried their luck.  Here is Alejandro swinging at the piñata.

Even I was given a chance.  I gave it a couple of good whacks but didn't break it.

Nobody actually broke any of the piñatas.  When they were reduced to their papier mache core, an adult would rip them apart, and the children would scurry to grab the candy.

But that was not the end of the evening's festivities.  One of the neighbors who is a musician served as DJ and there was dancing in the street.

Eventually, I, the "gringo" with two left feet, was dragged in to take part.

The fun continued until eleven.

It was definitely the best "posada" that I have ever attended.