Las Posadas.

Warning! This will be a bit long, especially the explanation part. I've tried to make it as condensed as possible, but some things cannot be shortened. So be forewarned (meaning: hope you don't get bored)!
If it gets tedious, just link to past posadas, they are shorter with more images.


Today I will explain a bit about the Posadas. Since they officially start tomorrow, I have not gone to any yet. I will explain as much as I can, and then write as we are invited to them, Here are some links to last year's posadas posts.
Adriana's Posada 2008
Posada at Home

Posada litteraly means hostel, inn or just a place to sleep over. The idea is that Joseph and Pregnant Virgin Mary had to flee unexpectedly, and had no place to stay. They knocked on many doors before finding a place to stay. So starting tomorrow, Mary and Joseph will seek for a place to stay.

All the neighbors get together to decide who celebrates the Posada on which day starting tomorrw. Posadas are usually celebrated at night. What happens? Everybody who is invited to the Posada (sometimes everybody who lives on the street) will start with Joseph's and Mary's search for a place to stay. There are figures sold in the stores which show Mary on a donkey with Joseph walking next to her (there's a photo in last year's post). People walk behind the two people carrying the statues singing and praying. They head towards the chosen people's house for that posada. Most people stay inside and the family is inside. Then a asking/answering song starts in which Joseph asks for posada, and the owners of the house say there is no place for them. The pleading goes on till the owner of the house says he hadn't recognized the Mother of God, and invites them in. Everyone sings with joy at being accepted, and go into the house. Praying continiues, and when this ends the kids start sing "I want no gold, I want no silver, all I want is to break the Piñata" Everyone goes outside so the kids can break the piñata. After the piñata is broken, there is plenty of food and ponche.
Next day, the procession starts at the house where Mary and Joseph stayed, and goes to next house on the list. And it starts all over again..... till the 24th of December when at midnight Baby Jesus is born.

So now I explain the Piñata.
Apparently piñatas originated in China, but to make a long story short, when the Spanish were converting the natives, they used the idea brought from China with Aztec customs and created a very symbolic item. The original piñatas have seven spikes which represent the seven capital sins: greed, gluttony, laziness, pride, envy, wrath and lust. The person which is about to hit the piñata is blinfolded, this represents faith which should be blind. Then they try to hit and break the piñata or "sins". When they achieve this, they are "rewarded" with fruits and candy.
Even though most birthday piñatas have only candy, posada piñatas also have sugar canes, tejocotes (a type of crab apple), tangerines, and peanuts.

Traditional Piñata.

More...

....and MORE!

The markets are full of piñatas and the stuff that goes inside on sale.

Ponche
Traditional Posada drink. It is more like a super tea. Water is put to boil with the following ingredients: cinnammon sticks, hibbiscus flowers (jamaica), a type of brown sugar called piloncillo, chopped apples, tejocotes, split sugar canes, raisins, prunes, tamarinds, guavas. Depending on the family's tastes, some ingredients may be ommited. It is served very hot. Some people will serve it with rum or brandy.

Sugar canes all lined up for the piñata or ponche.

This is the way the sugar cane is put into the piñata.
For the ponche, it is usually stripped of its
outside covering.

Tamarind, this is the dried kind. It is sour,
but gives the ponche a great taste.

Tejocotes.
For the piñata, just the way it is.
For the ponche, washed and cut in half.

And since I want to La Central de Abastos to take photos of the Piñatas, I took some of the poinsettias being sold there. Oh, in Mexico they are called Nochebuena which means Christmas Eve.

There were about twenty stalls selling
the Nochebuena plants.

There are three common varieties, red,
white, and pink.

People like the red type most.

The white looks also pretty.

These are the ones I bought. I got four
red and one white. Each plant cost about
$1.20 dollars.

This is the first time I see this new variety.

The leaves are sort of crinkled.

They are called Nochebuena Rehilete,
which means Pinwheel Poitsettia.

And now the Giveaway.
I made some totes with some Mexican cloth. There are four totes in all. Two will have a Mexican scarf each (not a warm scarf, but very pretty), ant the other two totes will have dish towels which are used very much here.
I took photos of the gifts, but it was too dark, and with a flash the colors were distorted.
I`m posting them here anyway.

Some days ago I took a photo of the cloth I was going to use.
I looks better here. It is called Cambaya.

This is one of the totes. It is very simple. Maybe it can be used
for books or when going to the market.

The inside is a nice blue..
(yes, those are the poitsettinas I bought).

Scarf one...

Scarf two...

The other photos are terrible. I will try to take more in daylight.
How can you win? Leave a comment telling about any family tradition you have fond memories about. And leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win. I will send to any country. I will be making the draw on Monday, midnight. Oh, and please keep into consideration that the gifts will probably arrive in January. It takes about two weeks from Mexico, plus any Christmas rush in your country.

I want to thank Pam over at Gingerbread Snowflakes for getting me all excited ino producing these posts. Go visit her, she has links to celebrations from all over the world.

I also want to thank all my blogger friends for making nice comments, and following me around in this Mexican adventure.

Next post-Nacimientos (Nativity scenes or Creche). Promise it will be much shorter.
Hasta pronto.....