Posadas and the Mexican Christmas season

Posadas are traditional private or neighborhood parties held on the nine days leading up to Christmas, from December 16 to 24. They recall Mary and Joseph’s journey in search of lodging (posada): guests sing a litany to “ask for lodging,” followed by ponche, tamales and sweets.

The favorite moment of a posada is breaking the piñata, a festive object filled with candy and fruit that is broken with a stick while everyone sings “Dale, dale, dale.” The red flower typical of the season is the nochebuena (poinsettia), a plant native to Mexico that decorates homes and churches in December.