Celebrate La Posada In Mexico

Mexico’s main Christmas celebration is called La Posada, which is a religious procession that reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. During the procession, the celebrants go from house to house carrying the images of Mary and Joseph looking for shelter.

And though Santa Claus is not predominant, his bright red suit is represented in the traditional flower of the season. This flower is the poinsettia, which has brilliant green and red leafs on it. The legend of the poinsettia is really quite touching. It is believed that a young boy walking to the church to see the nativity scene showing the birth of Jesus had realized on the way that he had no gift to offer the Christ child. So, he gathered up some plain green branches and weeds to offer. Many laughed as he walked into the church, but he was told that as long as his gift was from his heart, the child would appreciate it. When he laid his gift near the manger, they changed into bright red and green leafs, and thus the poinsettia, or Christmas flower, was born.

The Mexican children receive gifts on Christmas day. They are blindfolded while they use a stick or a bat to try and break a decorated clay piñata that dangles and swings at the end of a rope. Once the piñata has been broken, the children scramble to recover the candy that was inside the piñata. Those children who have been good also on January 6th receive a gift from the Three Wise Men, the same men who visited the newborn Christ child and brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Mexicans attend a midnight mass service which is called La Misa del Gallo or the rooster’s mass, where they sing lullabies to Jesus.