The Posada Across the Street

In the last post I was a little sad that I had not seen a neighborhood Posada. Oh, the Posada led by the San Antonio Church was wonderful but there is something very special to me when it is a grassroots event. Ask and ye shall receive.

Last night just as Carly and I were getting ready to go to bed, I heard singing in the street. We flew back to the upstairs studio to get the camera and when I looked out the window, there was the Posada knocking on the door across the street asking to come in. I was afraid that by the time I got the camera and got outside that they would have moved on so I decided to shoot from the window.

It was a good decision because just after I took this picture, the door opened and this was the house that gave Mary and Joseph room in the stable. The little house is about 10 feet wide but still all the people who had been in the street, maybe 75 or 100 people, followed Mary and Joseph into the house. I love the small bouquets. I love the candles. I love the kids lighting sparklers. I love the music. I love celebrating Christmas in such an intimate way. How blessed I am that it all happened in the street by my house.

My Neighborhood Posada

Last week I loaded up the camera with a new battery and the lens I thought I'd use, plus I had a wider angle lens right beside it for quick pickup. I wanted to be ready when I heard the music outside that signaled the neighborhood Posada. The Posadas are held during the nine days before Christmas and are a recreation of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay. There is a traditional song that the children sing at each stop along the way asking for a room for Mary and Joseph.

In the past we have had some very elaborate Posadas around my street with Mary on a donkey, a band, and everyone walking with candles. When Mary and Joseph finally find a place to stay and all the prayers are said, piñatas are strung across the street and the children have a great time whacking at it until finally it is broken and candy falls. There are usually traditional foods and ponche and bags of oranges and goodies for everyone.

If that happened on my street this year, I missed it but last night I did hear a group singing in the street. I grabbed a jacket and my camera and headed out. It was a large group that was lead by the same truck that usually leads processions from the San Antonio Church. There was a keyboard in the bed of the truck and someone was leading the music interspersed with readings and prayers from the priest. This time there were statues of Mary and Joseph carried by some of the women, not a "real" Mary on a "real" donkey. And there were not any candles. I followed along for a way until I was sure that they were headed to the San Antonio Church then I headed back home. I hope that when they got to the plaza in front of the church that there are piñatas, ponche and food for everyone.

I hope that the wonderful posadas in the little neighborhoods in the Colonia are still happening and I just missed the one on my street this year.