Christmas in Mexico
The Posadas
PHOENIX (Hispanic News) December
16, 2007 —These festivities are held during the nine
days before Christmas which, according to religious tradition, represent the
period when Mary and Joseph were seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus.
In commemoration of the journey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem, guests sing Christmas carols and the litany to the
Virgin. Children and adults alike, carrying candles and representations of
Joseph, Mary, the angel and even the little donkey, visit neighbors and ask for
posada (shelter). At the end of the journey, the piñata, stuffed
with candy and fruit, is broken.
The piñata is an essential part of
Mexican parties during the Christmas season. Although it is difficult to track
its precise origin and meaning, in his book Mexican Traditions,
Sebastian Verti highlights its pre-Hispanic and European roots, whereby the
struggle of good against evil is implicitly present.
The "Pastorelas"
Together with the posadas,
they constitute the prelude of Christmas in Mexico. The pastorela refers
to events prior to the birth of Jesus and culminates with the splendor of the
manger and the shepherds' worship. The pastorela, as a scenic and
literary genre, had its roots in 16th century Spanish religious theatre, and was
later adapted by missionaries as an instrument to evangelize the natives of
America.
The pastorelas are humorous and
joyful, with an innocent, country style, where even Lucifer and his court of
"little devils" appear with naïve wickedness. They seek to awaken noble feelings
of love towards our fellow men, as well as universal fraternity.
Cuetlaxóchitl
or Christmas flower
(Flor de Nochebuena).
The cuetlaxóchitl (Poinsettia) is
known as the Christmas flower, due to its beautiful red color, and because it
blooms mainly in December. In some countries, it is known as Poinsettia, after a
former US ambassador to Mexico, Joel R. Poinset. It is said he liked the
flower so much that he named it and sent it to the United States and later to
Europe.
January 6. The
Three Magi
(Día de Reyes)
Every year, children gather at the Alameda
Central Park in Mexico City to visit the Three Magi and hand-deliver letters
with their wishes, as they are supposed to bring toys on January 6. This
tradition evokes the Three Wise Men who came from the East and, following the
star of Bethlehem, reached the Christ Child and presented him with gold, incense
and myrrh.
The King's
ring-shaped bread
(Rosca de Reyes)
The traditional Epiphany supper of
ring-shaped cake with hot chocolate came from Spain to Mexico during the early
years of the viceregal reign.
It is decorated with sugar and dry fruit
such as figs, quince, cherries, which improve its flavor and embellish it. A
tiny figure representing Christ Child is hidden in preparation for the
cake-cutting ritual. A centuries old tradition states whoever finds the
"Child" is spiritually obliged to present the house's Christ Child at the
nearest church on February 2 and to offer a tamales-party
in his honor.
On the night of January 6, as knife
descends slowly, breaking the crunchy decorated crust of the King's round cake,
expectation reigns among guests. Once the person cutting the slice "hits" upon
the Child, there's no way out. The "lucky" one accepts with resigned laughter
and the promise of fulfilling the obligation assumed.
