When are the posadas, the traditional private or neighborhood parties, held?

The posadas are traditional Mexican Christmas festivities held on the nine nights from December 16 to 24. They reenact Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter on their way to Bethlehem — ‘posada’ means ‘inn’ or ‘lodging’ — with guests singing verses asking for shelter until they are let in.

Typical elements include hot ponche (fruit punch), candles, sparklers, bags of candy called aguinaldos, and the breaking of a seven-pointed star piñata, whose points traditionally represent the seven deadly sins.