How to Celebrate Posadas

Las Posadas are celebrated once a day throughout each of the nine days before Christmas with the final posada celebrated on Christmas Eve.

They are evening fiestas_,_ and their purpose is to remind us of the Holy Family’s humble beginnings as represented, through reenactment, by Joseph and Mary’s search for a place to stay before Jesus’ birth. If you haven’t had the chance to experience them, here are 10 things you need to create and enjoy your own posada tradition with your family and friends.

My large family always celebrates posadas outdoors. There are too many of us to fit inside! With open flames, piñatas, lots of orange peels and nut shells, and walking around knocking on doors holding the party outside is easiest.

Los peregrinos, or pilgrims, here, refer to the statuettes of Joseph, Mary and their donkey, which are carried by my family as we reenact their search for a place to stay. Our entire group is split into two; half moves inside the house and the other half walks with the peregrinos.

Each family member in the outdoor group carries a small candle to light the way and help with the reading of the lyrics of the posada song. We walk to the door of the house, knock, and when the door opens, we sing our part.

The posada song we sing is a musical narrative of Joseph and Mary’s search. None of us can remember all the words without cheat sheets. After the outdoor group sings its part, the indoor group responds in song. This repeats until the end of the song when the indoor group invites the outdoor group inside.

Get the posada song lyrics here.

In our family’s tradition, once the peregrinos find a place to stay, which is how the song ends, we all sit down and are given a bag with fruit and nuts. Mandarin oranges, tejocotes (a kind of crab apple) and guavas, plus peanuts and a stick of sugar cane are always included.

A traditional star-shaped piñata gets whacked by the kids outdoors, of course. Piñatas are more than a star filled with candy—they have a very interesting background and meaning. The seven cones of the star represent the seven sins, the act of being blindfolded represents faith, the stick represents virtue and the treats inside the piñata represent the glory of God being showered upon you.

Our family creates a different meal for each of the nine posadas. Some of the dishes we traditionally serve are tamales, pozole, enchiladas, tacos (dorados, mineros, de papa), and sopes. We do this outdoors, too.

After dinner, everyone—young and old—receives a bag of candy. These almost always include chocolates, cookies, and favorite Mexican candies.

Ponche, a warm, sweet, spicy, fruit beverage, is served up next, which by now is almost a necessity because we are getting pretty cold from being outside for so long. Each family has their own recipe for this traditional drink.

Here’s my recipe for ponche Navideño.

Last, but not least, it’s time to cue up the Christmas carols, known as villancicos, to create a festive atmosphere for the rest of the evening as family and friends talk, mingle and shiver. ¡Feliz Navidad!