Mexico

Christmas for Mexicans, in traditional homes and rural areas, is a religious holiday. It is a celebration of the Nativity. This means the birthday of Our Lord Jesus. In order to prepare for the day of symbolic commemoration, we have the "//Posadas//". These celebrations are a "//Novena//" or nine days before the 24 which is the "//Noche Buena//" or "Holy Night". These //Posadas// are an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary, called The Pilgrims going to Bethlehem for the Census according to the Scriptures. In Spanish we called them: "//Los Peregrinos, San José y la Virgen María".// Each family in a neighborhood, will schedule a night for the //Posada// to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th on //Noche Buena.// Every home will have a Nativity scene. The hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and the neighborhood children and adults are //Los// //Peregrinos//, who have to request lodging through [|singing a simple chant.] All carry small lit candles in their hands and four teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry Los Peregrinos, which are two small statues of St. Joseph leading a donkey, which Virgin Mary is riding sidesaddle. The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lamp shade that looks like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a //"Farolito"// or little lantern. The //Peregrinos// will ask for lodging in three different houses but only the third one will allow them in. That will be the house that is supposed to have the //Posada// for that evening. Once the innkeepers let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and kneels around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary. media type="custom" key="7682315" media type="custom" key="7690239"