Las Posadas

This last year, we did a really fun event for our ward Christmas party. We had a Posada, which is a Latin American tradition. In their culture, they travel from house to house and are turned away like Joseph and Mary were at the inns. They sing songs and all travel together picking up more people as they go. Eventually, they are allowed to enter a house and more songs are sung. And then there is celebrating? I think. With pinatas and food. That sounds about right.

We weren't able to recreate that experience exactly. We had the whole party in our church building. Different families were located in different rooms. They talked about their heritage and there were crafts and treats. In one room they gave little bags with pinata treats inside. (We couldn't have a real pinata since we were trying to have a more spiritual event.) Eventually, the Posada began and people traveled from room to room singing and gathering more people.

We had a very cute couple play Joseph and Mary and they sang traditional songs and Joseph even played the guitar. (It seems like something Joseph would have done.)

Everyone was welcomed into the gym, which was decorated very nicely.

There was still a large pinata, although it had nothing inside. June helped make a poster about the meaning of the Pinata. I thought it was very interesting. I learned things I never knew, like the pinata symbolizing sins and temptations and we beat them down with a stick, eventually to receive the heavenly rewards inside. I like it.

You can kind of see the pinata in the background of this picture. Cool picture compliments of Tyler.

Then there was a feast of course. We had delicious Mexican food, including tacos, tamales, churros, and homemade salsa. In fact, there was a salsa contest and I ended up winning a prize. My salsa was mild and I think Aric won in the spicy division.

It was a wonderful evening that ended with dancing. Those who wanted to stay, could. Tyler was feeling terrible. (I think that was the day he gave plasma and they didn't give any blood back to him. He felt so awful. Go figure. He was partially exsanguinated.) So I stayed to help clean up and I danced with some of the girls. We learned some simple Mexican dances. It was a wonderful evening and great to experience pieces of another culture.