A Posada-Gringa Style

Gabby and Sergio Bustemonte 

In early December our amiga, Gabby, asked us to host the 6th night of our neighborhoods' Posada celebration .  Lee very enthusiastically said yes.....me, well I was brought into it kicking, screaming and whinning loudly.  I knew nothing of the event or what was expected of us, nor did Lee (really).  Gabby at first said that it  would be about 35 kids and a handful of parents. And that the only thing expected of us is to hand out small bags of candy with a token gift.   As time went on we found that the number of kids would maybe be more like 100 and the number of parents 35+++++. Typically, the Posada is a procession in the neighborhood meant to re-inact the journey of Joseph and Mary.  

Participating families will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th.  The participating hosts acts as the innkeepers The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (los peregrinos), who have to request lodging by going house to house singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. All the pilgrims carry small lit candles in their hands, and four people carry statuettes of Joseph leading a donkey, on which Mary is riding.  (In our neighborhood celebration, 2 children carried a nativity scene (Lee had contructed a base that allowed the Nativity to be carried much like a stretcher from house to house))

The neighborhood children and adults are the pilgrims (los peregrinos), who have to request lodging by going house to house singing a traditional song about the pilgrims. There were 2 homes designated every evening that turn away the procession and then the home that offer's Mary and Joseph lodging and then the celebration insues.  The inn keepers respond to the pilgrims request also by singing.  The next night the Posada starts at the previous nights inn.

Night 1 celebration at the Inn

We were first told to provide a warm drink and a bag of treats for the children, you know "simple"  And then we learned that typically the celebration should include cake or sweet bread for the adults and hint hint "drinks".  Since this is known as the official blue agave growing region and best known for Tequilla, we knew what was expected.  Sorry we had to disappoint. 

Lee wanted to include a bit of North American culture into the celebration, so we sewed felt stockings to use as the gift bags.  We made three different versions, one for tot's that included non choking types of candy and a plastic ball, another for the bigger kids that was filled with all sorts of candy and then a small paint set with some printed iconic Santa pictures to paint.  The teens got a bag of candy and chips (no paint sets) Although some of them asked for any extra plastic balls to play with,  The stockings were a big hit! We gave out 108 of them,

We also learned that a pinata or two were typically hung for the children to swing at.  I never knew what fun it was to watch 50 to a hundred kids jump into a pile after candy.

Blindflolds were used depending on the kids size 

Teenage boys on our roof made the pinata's  "dance"

It was just in front of her!

New meaning to party in the streets 

Candy Melee

Lee in the midst of a pinata melee.

Lillian, Gabby and Lee enjoying the festivities

After the party our neighbors were out using their paints.

So we must thank everyone in the neighborhood for allowing us to be a part of their traditions and celebrations.  We especially thank Anna and her daughter for singing the "Innkeepers" song the two nights we should have.  Gracias to all the nino's and nina's who have been patiently trying to teach me spanish. 

And we are done!