Christmas Eve

This year, we went to Las Posadas.  It was a new experience for us as we've never heard of it before.  I thought it was the {PERFECT} Christmas Eve activity and hope to make this one of our family traditions.

Because I was in such awe of the event, I'm going to go into some detail of the evening.  If you'd rather, just look at the pictures, you'll get the idea.

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Las Posadas is a Catholic tradition in Mexico and the Southwest US.

The word '"posada" means welcoming, protection, shelter.

The celebration starts on December 16th and lasts nine days, finishing on December 24th with midnight Mass.

These nine days of prayer and celebration symbolize the pilgrimage of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to receive and shelter the Baby Jesus.  

This celebration goes back to around the year 1587.

The journey was recited in Spanish.  At the entrance, we were given a booklet that had the Spanish script with an English translation and a candle to carry.

Children from a particular Catholic church were dressed up as Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and WiseMen. (Urban was a bit upset he couldn't dress up and be a part of the acting group.)

Musicians who played violins, guitars, trumpets, etc provided accompaniment to the songs that were sung.

Sisters from the church had a megaphone and would recite the script as we progressed to each inn's door.  They would say a line and the participants would answer in turn, reading from the script.


Various prayers and Hymns were sung along the journey.  Participants could follow along with help from the booklets they handed out.


The procession goes to three doors and knocks on the doors to ask for shelter for the night.  At two of the inns, Mary and Joseph learn that they are not welcomed.  

At the third door, they are given shelter in a stable.

This is where Christ is born and wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

Mary walks around the crowd to show her baby, Jesus.