Families in Latin America celebrate “Las Posadas” with the prayer of the rosary, singing of asking for and giving off posada, piñatas, and of course very delicious food. Posada is Spanish for inn. In the Quad Cities, this tradition is celebrated by various churches, community organizations and private homes.
Elida Martinez, a member of St. Mary’s youth group (Grupo Juvenil) said that a posada is when the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were asking for “posada” so that the Virgin Mary could give birth to Jesus. The Holy Family knocked on many doors, finding a place to stay at. “It’s an honor and a beautiful thing to have these posadas because it’s like a preparation to expect the arrival of the baby Jesus,” she said.
Differences between the posadas in the United States and Mexico are many.
“In Mexico the traditions are more beautiful, the nine days before the birth of Jesus, there’s a posada in every home. In the U.S. we only have one posadita,” Martinez said.
Another member of the group, Jose “Pepe” Arana, said everything was good but it could have been better with the help of more people, referring to the posada at St. Mary’s Moline. A Guadalajara native he said the traditions a very different in Mexico.
“The traditions are stronger, more spiritual; work, other motives, climate doesn’t affect things, posadas are done at home. Even if it’s small, we can continue the tradition here,” he said.Some of the youth group members helped out with the sound and the nativity scene.
Laura Nuñez and her family, organize the posadas between the church’s families every year. The first one started Sunday, December 16. Her favorite songs are traditional posada songs in Spanish: “Humildes Peregrinos”, “Los Pastorcitos”, and “Los peces en el rio”.“I like hitting and breaking the piñata and picking up the candy,” she said.
Laura’s mother, Leticia Cruz, said the adults say prayers and sing songs to ask for the posada.
“It’s a novena to help receive the baby Jesus on Christmas until the Christmas Eve. We celebrate when we wake up Christmas Day to put the baby Jesus in his crib,” she said.
After the adults are done, the children take over and break the piñata.
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