In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated from December 12th to January 6th. From December 16 to Christmas Eve, children often perform the "Posada" processions or posadas. Posada is Spanish for inn or lodging. There are nine of them. They celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Joseph and Mary looked for someplace to stay. For the posadas, the outside of the houses are decorated with evergreens, moss, and paper lanterns. In each posada, children are given candles and a board, with painted clay figures of Mary riding on a donkey and Joseph, to process around the streets with. However, the children are told there is no room in the house and that they must go away. Eventually they are told there is room and that they are welcome in. When the children enter into the houses they say prayers of thanks and they have a party with food, games, and fireworks. Each night a different house holds the posada party. At the final Posada, on Christmas Eve, a manger and figures of shepherds are placed on a board. When the Posada has been found, a baby Jesus has been put in a manger and then families go to the midnight Church service. Following the church service there are more fireworks to celebrate the start of Christmas.
One game that is often played at posada parties is the pinata. A pinata is a decorated clay or papier mache jar filled with sweets and hung from the ceiling or tree branch. The pinata is often decorated like a ball with seven peaks around it. The seven peaks or spikes represent the "seven deadly sins." Pinatas can be in a form of an animal or bird (or donkey). To play the game, children are blindfolded and take it in turns to hit the pinata with a stick until it splits open and sweets pour it. The children then rush to pick up as many sweets as they are able.
There's any type of Christmas play known as the Pastorelas or the shepherds. They tell of the story of the Shepherds going after baby Jesus and are often very funny. The Devil tries to stop them by tempting them along the way. But the shepherds get there in the end along with the help of the archangel Michael, who comes and beats the Devil.
Nativity scenes or the nacimiento, are very popular in Mexico. They are often very large with the figures being life size. Sometimes a whole room in the house is used for the nacimiento. The figures are made of clay and are often passed down through family members. The above link finishes the rest of the story about the Christmas culture in Mexico.
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