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Writer's pictureCelina Ladies & Friends

Christmas Traditions

Updated: Dec 20, 2018

One of my favorite things about the holidays are all of the new and old traditions that are shared among family and friends. I was recently meeting with friends and we were discussing our different holiday traditions when Las Posadas was mention. I love to hear how everyone celebrates their family holiday traditions and one of our members shared this wonderful personal story with us.


LAS POSADAS is a Hispanic Christmas tradition that starts December 16th and ends December 24th.

As a small girl, I remember going to the local church with my mother and siblings in the evenings to attend a posada. Those nights everyone received a vigil candle and then we created a procession which was headed by the lucky child that was chosen to portray Mary sitting on a donkey led by another child that portrayed Joseph. We would stop at one house every night and sing them the "Canto de pedir posada" (the song to ask for shelter) which represents Joseph asking for shelter at different places along their voyage to Bethlehem.


There are 9 houses or stops representing the 9 months of Mary's pregnancy, 8 houses would say no because they were not an inn and the procession would move on. At the 9th house, they would let us in and we would all sing songs of thanks. Mary would rest in the shelter and then present the baby Jesus. At the end of every night, the kids would break open star pinatas and be treated to sweet bread and champurrado

(a cornmeal based hot chocolate). While I love the entire holiday season, this is one of my most treasured memories. The welcoming arms of the church, the laughter of all the kids, the cool winter nights all aglow with the candlelight... it was all very special and it is something I hope to pass on to my children.


Traditions are such an important part of who we are and help to create our personal story!


Thank you so much to Erica for sharing her childhood memories with us and how important it is to pass them on to the next generation so that they can also share in and pass on the special moments and traditions that help connect us to our families and our faith.


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