Celebration of THE Birth

The Mexicans really know how to celebrate a Christian holiday. Take Christmas--in each village a posada is staged for 10 nights before Christmas (a parade of sorts with children usually playing the parts of "Maria" on a burro being led by "Jose" trying to find a place to stay for the night ( an inn is a posada) in Bethlehem, followed by village members. The procession wends it's way through the village visiting homes in succession where the couple ask for lodging; part of the Christmas story is either acted out or somehow displayed by the homeowner, but the couple is turned away. Then carols are sung and candles twinkle in the dark as the parade makes it way to the next house on the route. Each night is a different route in a different barrio (neighborhood). At the last house each evening, the crowd is fed a small portion of some traditional holiday fare Usually a fire is lit on the street in front of the last house (we have cobbled streets). Whatever food is offered is usually cooked over this fire while the crowd sings. All are invited into the house, where the children hit pinates for the candy they contain. The people here take Christmas much more seriously than many Americans. It's about the birth of Jesus Christ, not Papa Noel bringing presents. While Mexicans exchange gifts, it's not the main focus of the holiday. At Easter I'll write about the Passion Play (it involves dragging a heavy cross up the mountainside to a little chapel) and how they celebrate that sacred holiday.