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A Traditional Mexican Christmas

by Marcela Pérez |

THE POSADAS (Nativity Play/Christmas Party)
According to the Aztec calendar, the Aztecs celebrated the birth of Huitzilopochtli (the Sun God) in mid-December. The missionaries took advantage of these festivities by replacing the pagan tradition with a Christian celebration. Friar Diego de Soria, the Prior of the Convent of San Agustín de Acolman, obtained permission from Pope Sixtus the 5th to celebrate in New Spain the Mass of the "Aguinaldo" (Xmas Bonus), which consisted of nine Eucharist celebrations, and a full pardon was granted to those prisoners who completed the ninth. They took place from December 16 to 24, alluding to the months of Mary's pregnancy, ending with the last celebration on the eve of Christmas. For this reason, in Mexico it is customary to host a dinner for 24 more than enough food of 25, as in other countries.
At first, these masses were held in the atrium of the church, which started as a procession to accompany the images of Joseph and Mary, emulating his route through Bethlehem asking for accommodation at every Inn. Other parishioners sang with candles in their hands then would go to pray the rosary and litanies. To give it a festive touch, the night ended with fireworks, piñatas and a dinner consisting of fruit punch and donuts. Gradually, the tradition is disappearing from the church in favor of the privacy of home, where traditional Christmas Posadas or parties are generally celebrated these days.

PIÑATAS
During his travels, Marco Polo saw that the Chinese produce colorful animal figures covered with paper, which were hung with ornaments and used in their New Year celebrations. The famed explorer brought the idea to Europe where they were linked to the celebrations of Lent. During the Spanish colonization in America piñatas were a striking tool of evangelization for the missionaries, who gave them a religious significance, as it was intended to decorate it to represent Satan, who is credited with the use of masks effective for inducing people to give into temptation. The piñata took a spherical shape adorned with seven peaks, representing the deadly sins. The person who hits the piñata personifies the believer that faith which is blind (hence leads blindfolded), and virtue (so it has a stick), hits the bad until it is destroyed. Once the piñata is broken, the fruits and candies that fall from within are the reward for one's faithfulness to God.

THE PASTORELAS
By 1530, Friar Juan de Zumarraga ordered to be staged "The joyful Nativity of our Savior" for the first Christmas celebrations held in the newly conquered lands. Thus, the Church took advantage of the Indigenous zeal for acting and began to create a "Catequizante" Theater. A few years later, it is believed to have been Friar Andrés de Olmos, who wrote the first segment concerning the arrival and adoration of the Magi, (the three Kings). It is said that about 5 thousand natives were present at the site. This tradition continues to this day through the "Pastorelas", passion plays that deal about the spirit of Christmas, usually with a humorous twist.

OTHER TRADITIONS
Like their predecessors, the Friars introduced these customs for Evangelistic reasons, such as births, which are clay figurines representing the birth of Jesus Christ, and Christmas carols, Christmas songs and allegorical characters. Happy Holidays Everyone!

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