On Friday we had the pleasure of being invited to a “Posada” event at a home in Merida. Evan & Noah go to school with Isabella and Vito and we were invited to their home to experience this very traditional evening. It is an evening of fun, singing, and traditional food.

Festivities centered around the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and how their search for lodging proceeded and being turned away from many inns, before being allowed to stay at one inn at last. Traditionally half the people at the Posado would walk around the community singing the ‘outside’ chorus of the song and stopping for traditional punch and appetizers while the other half would stay inside singing the ‘inside’ chorus to other people wandering the neighborhood and inviting them inside. The guests at the house we were at split up and half the people went outside and half stayed inside and the singing began! They had printed the words for us which made it much easier to sing along.

After the singing we all shared a “Carne en su jugo” soup which was fantastic. This was a meat soup cooked in its own juices and when we added lime to it it became like a meat version of the Sopa de Lima. It was fabulous and Evan loved it   Carmenchu had put out many munchies and some of the most popular were the bean dips she had made and served hot with tortilla chips. One was a little bit spicy and it was fabulous. I will be getting the recipe for this one I hope.

We must really thank Reto and Carmenchu for allowing us to partake in the event. We met many new people and hope to see then again as we travel around the Yucatan area.

To see a short video depicting this you can click on the link below which will sing the song from both inside and outside with a little slideshow. The last song of the clip is one you hear quite often! It is the song everyone sings as children take their turn swinging the bat at the pinata and of course every party has a pinata! When the song is done, your turn is done and you pass the bat to the next child in line and the singing starts again. The pinata’s here are amazing and seem to last forever with the person holding the string bobbing the pinata up and down repeatedly out of the reach of the child.

History of Las Posadas:

In Mexico, the Christmas festivities begin nine days before Christmas, representing the period when Mary and Joseph were seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus, through January 6th, when the Three Wise Men reached the Christ Child and presented him with gifts.

Las Posadas – This Mexican Christmas tradition is the best known manifestation of the Christmas spirit held each night on the nine days between December 16th and Christmas eve which, according to religious tradition, represents the period when Mary and Joseph long ago search for lodgings were seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus is re-enacted. Solemn and deeply religious in feeling at first, the observances soon became imbued with a spirit of fun and eventually left the church and began to be celebrated in people’s homes. The posadas have become a community affair with friends, relatives and neighbors getting together to share in the festivities, visiting a different house each evening. People carry candles, visit several houses and ask for “posada” (shelter), the adults are given a thick punch “Ponche Navideno” and at the end of the journey, the “piñata”, stuffed with candy and fruit, is broken. Christmas itself is usually celebrated on Christmas eve in Mexico with a midnight mass and a late dinner. Modern influences have introduced the Christmas tree and Santa Claus along with the traditional crèche.

Peticion de Posada Tradicional

Brethren, we are gathered here tonight to remember the way of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Just as God prepared the people of Israel to receive the Savior, today we in this inn we will prepare to celebrate Christmas, which is the feast of the coming of God among us.

CANTOS PARA PEDIR POSADAS

Al abrir las puertas:
¡Entren Santos Peregrinos, Peregrinos!, reciban esta mansión
que aunque es pobre la morada, la morada, os la doy de corazón.

Cantemos con alegría…, alegría; todos al considerar;
Que Jesús, José y María… y María; nos vinieron hoy a honrar.

In English:

REQUEST FOR POSADA:

Come Holy Pilgrims,
receive this corner,
but is poor dwelling, the dwelling,
I give from the heart.

(After the request for Posada, once they have been
admitted to the pilgrims, you can continue with a simple
coexistence.)