Xmas season in San Miguel

We’re a bit homesick for all our US Xmas traditions. We miss not having any of our holiday decorations and it makes no sense to buy things since we have too much stuff to fit in our luggage as it is. But we miss our stockings hung (on our armoire) and our Xmas tree, our lighted boat festival, making gingerbread houses etc. But we’re trying to respond creatively and learn about the Mexican traditions. We’re making our own tree, little mini piñatas, poinsettas (los noches buenas), and our own nativity scene. We’re learning lots of great Spanish Christmas songs too, which is rewarding now that we actually more or less understand what we are singing. And actually, we did break down and buy a small tree to decorate.

Nataly and I learned to make flan

We got to put our knowledge of Christmas carols to use when we were lucky enough to be invited to a neighborhood posada by our local friend Monica. The posadas begin 9 days before Christmas and run every night through Christmas eve. We gathered with the other neighbors in the courtyard of one designated house. As you came in, if you had a child the right age and size, they were recruited to be Mary, Joseph, an angel, shepards, etc. Nataly choose not to participate, not knowing what she might have to do. Clothes were pulled out of bags and kids were dressed and then sat on stools in a group. One woman began leading the groups in call and response prayers to Mary (Hail Marys says Michael). They all began Mary, Mother of God, and then I couldn’t follow, except that I learned the Spanish word for sinner – pecador, which was in about every prayer. Between each prayer we sang a Christmas song. In contrast to the US, almost all the songs are religious and have as their subject the journey to Belen. We enjoyed the singing a lot. After at least 40 minutes of prayer with a little singing mixed in we gathered together and the group went out to ‘pedir posada’ (ask for lodging).  The kids lead the way and we sang a refrain in latin. It way lovely out there, with the whole street strung with papel picado (banners), and a real feeling of community. Everyone was polite and smiling to us. Then when we arrived at the designated house, the travelers knocked and sang the special Posada song. From inside came the response song about there being no room. This was repeated 2 more times, before finally, I guess, room was found, and we were ushered in. Here there was more praying, more singing, a little visiting, and we were feed delicious tomales and guayaba flavored atole (a yummy hot corn drink). Eventually it was time to go and on our way out everyone received a bag of goodies, fruits and nuts for the adults, and candies for the children.

I can’t believe this elaborate 2 hour ritual is repeated 9 times in a row. It’s quite an undertaking and outlay of food for the participating neighbors. Unfortunately it starts and ends late, and fireworks come at dawn, so we’re taking a couple days off to catch up on sleep, before heading out to another Posada.

Reading up on posadas I learned an interesting fact about piñatas. The traditional ones, which are around every corner right now, are star shaped and have 7 points, one for each of the 7 deadly sins. On Christmas eve, the piñata is broken by the children at the final posada. The blows to the pinata represent our attempts to eradicate these sins from our lives.

A quincenera being serenaded