In Mexico, along with some places in the United States, the time between December 16th and Christmas Eve is called Las Posadas. Posada means “lodging”. On each of the nine nights, children and their families re-enact the journey made from Nazareth to Bethlehem. As they walk along from house to house, they are turned away until the reach the house where the evening’s festivities will be held. Then, they are welcomed in and invited to stay for the party.
For children, the highlight of the party is the breaking of the piñata. A piñata is a clay pot shaped as a bird or animal, and it is covered with colored paper and filled with treats and small toys. The piñata is hung from the ceiling by a rope, and the children are blindfolded and given a stick which they use to try and break open the piñata. When the piñata is broken, the goodies fall to the ground and the children all scramble to gather them.
Around the second week in December, children help their families set up nativity scenes. In the markets, the stalls carry Christmas toys, lanterns, figurines, and poinsettias. The children buy candied, nuts, fruits, and other sweets at corner stands for treats
During Las Posadas, homes and outdoor patios are decorated with lighted lanterns or luminaries. Luminaries are bags filled with sand and lit with votive candles. Often, designs are cut into the bags. The luminaries line streets, driveways, and walkways during the celebration.
On Christmas Day, some children may receive presents, but traditionally they must wait until Three Kings Day on January 6. This is the night that the Three Kings visited the baby Jesus and left him gifts. The night before the 6, the children leave out their shoes and the next morning they find them filled with presents.
