Las Posadas.

Haven't been here much. The Posadas started this week and we've been to three this week. They are at night, so we get back home pretty late, and I just started my vacations today (yipee). I think most of you know what a posada is here in Mexico, so I'll just give a brief expanation.

Mexicans start Christmas season by re-living the moment prior to the birth of Christ when Joseph and pregnant Mary were seeking a place to stay, and have the Baby. So they carry statues of Joseph and Mary riding on a donkey, and knock on the family's door to ask for "posada" (a place to stay). Half of the people at the posada are outside, and the other half are inside denying shelter. They sing back and forth till the people inside "recognize" it is Mary and Joseph and let them in.

After they come in, there is a moment of prayer, and then everybody starts singing and demanding that they "do not want gold or silver, all they want is to break the Piñata".

So everybody gets in line for a chance to hit the piñata. The original piñata has 7 spikes. Each spike represents a capital sin, and the original idea was to smack those sins and eliminate then, thus receiving the reward of eternal life. In the case of the piñata- candy and fruit.

Afterwards, food. Dani used to say that over here Mexicans invented all sorts of festive days, to have parties and eat, eat, eat. He says anything is a good excuse for a party: before a baby is born, after a baby is born, weedings, and even funerals.

This posada was at our good friend Adriana's house. We had a great time. They served tostadas, a crisp tortilla (flat) on which we piled sour cream, ham slice tomato slice, cheese, and salsa or rajas of chile. Here are some photos.

Lighting the candes to ask for posada.

The people inside.

These are the "peregrinos" asking for shelter.
They are carrying the statues.

After the "peregrinos" were accepted inside.
Lolis, Adri, and me. BFF.

The piñata is ready!!!
"¡No quiero oro, ni quiero plata, yo lo que
quiero es romper la piñata!"

My son getting ready to hit it.

First they spinned him around to get him dizzy.
As you can see, it worked. Way off the mark.

Oh, Dios, Lolis's turn.

Norma was pretty good at it.

Biggest son.

Once the piñata breaks, chaos!! Everybody want to get
the fruit and candy, even if it means squashing someone
in the process.



Aurora and Lois resting after going crazy with
the piñata.

Tostada time. Edmundo is spreading the cream on the tostada.
Aurora is putting green salsa on hers.

Here you can see the tomatoes and sour cream.
My mouth is watering just by looking at the stuff.

We still have a few posadas left, I will try to post them all. Hope your Christmas season is going well also. Enjoy your weekend.