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.....

3er Domingo de Adviento

3rd Sunday of Advent

Virgen de Guadalupe.

A few minutes from now, it will be December 12, the day Mexicans celebrate the miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe (firecrakers and "cohetes",fireworks that only make a loud boom, can be heard from all parts of town).

"Many years ago, the converted indian, Juan Diego, was walking through El Cerro del Tepeyac (Tepeyac Hill) when he heard a beautiful voice singing. He saw a young girl of about 14 or 15 years old, which he immediatly identified as the Virgin Mary, beacuse she was shining all over. The Virgin told Juan Diego she wanted a temple built in her honor on top of the hill. He ran to tell the Spanish priests what he had just heard and seen. The priests did not believe him, and asked for proof. So Juan Diego went to the Cerro again, and the Virgin gave him an armful of fresh castille roses (which did not grow during that time of the year, Winter). He carried them in his tilpa (a kind of long apron indians used) all the way back to the priests. When he unwrapped the roses, the image of the Virgen was imprinted onto the tilpa....!"

December 12 is a very important day for Mexicans. It is so important, that when it falls on a weekday, there are no clases (not even in public schools), banks and government offices are also closed. Although the original site of this aparition is in Mexico City, every town and city has a special church, shrine, or sanctuary dedicated to the Virgen of Guadalupe. There are literally thousands of people who make a pligrimage to these places, being the Basilica in Mexico City the one that recieves the most.

Our town is no exception. Since there are so many groups that want to pay homage, the local church gives dates for each pilgimage. Every year, my son's school does theirs. This year it was their turn on December 3. It was good beacuse we were the only group that day. The bad part was then it was a pretty cold day for our standards, so not everybody showed up.

But it still was a very enthusiastic group, which sang and danced all the way to the Sanctuary.
I hope you enjoy the photos of this procession......

The pre-schoolers, oh how I love them.
Some were dressed as indians, and others as angels.

There is always typical dancing going around.
This year it was the turn of dances and costumes from the
state of Michoacán.

The braids done up in ribbon are fake (of course)
Not many girls use hair so long anymore.

The braids are made with black yarn....
Even if they are not real, I think they look great.

All the skirts and blouses are hand embroidered.

Some detail of the skirt's decorations.

Only the 6th graders dressed up for the procession.
The rest of the kids used their daily uniform.
Here these kids are clapping to the music.

I like this part of town with the stone street.
My son also participated in the dancing.

The pre-schoolers did not walk. They traveled on the
back of a trailer, with a young girl dressed
as La Guadalupana.

The prosession started at 5:00 p.m.
These are the girls who belong to the "escolta" and marched with the
Mexican flag.

Some more variations of the costumes.

There was a car with speakers and music at the
front of the kids, so they could dance to the music.




My husband, dean of discipline, was in charge
of the Jr. High students.

Walking down the street.....

Twirling...

The Sanctuary of Guadalupe.
I like this photo very much because of the cold, blue
light outside, and the warm yellow light inside.

Waiting to go in....

The priest welcoming the school.

The girls danced all the way into the church.

A beautiful little angel...

During the mass.

This is the statue in the church with the Mexican flag
as background.

This is the back part of the altar.

Same altar, another view....

The previous photos were taken on December 3, but the following ones were taken a few hours ago.

I had to go out to visit a friend. I really didn't want to go, but boy am I happy I did.
The neighborhood I went through was totally decorated with altars for the Virgin.
It was incredible. I took only a few photos, I mean the post is long enough as it is. But let me tell you there were at least 50+ altars like the ones in the photos. Almost every house had an altar.

And as I drove into my neighborhood, I saw one of my neighbors had put up her altar and they called me to join them. We prayed the rosary, and then ate some delicious Pozole.
I was very lucky to participate in this so I could show you yet another face of this celebration...

Some of the altars in the Colonia Juarez
(a neighborhhod near our house).






This is my friend Rita's altar.



Naty, Rita and Lety.




And the Pozole, of course.

I want to comment that it is not mandatory
for the children to participate in the pilgrimage.
Those who went, were there beacuse they
wanted to be there.

So hope you have a happy Virgen de Guadalupe Feast.
And have a great weekend.
Oh, and the giveaway will be posted on the 15th, the day I post about the posadas...
Adios.......