The Christmas in Mexico is wonderful, the people, the dinner with the family, all greet, you can see in the markets selling crafts, gifts, food, piñatas, etc.
We drink punch (ponche) prepared with non-alcoholic fruit of the season (cane, orange, lime, tejocotes).
Depending on where you live can changes a little bit, but all they have the same purpose. Remember the birth of the child Jesus.
Las Posadas
Posada is a kind of representation of the Virgin and Joseph and when they needed a place to sleep (this is call it posada) and that place the baby Jesus born.
So a group of people will walk from house to house singing something like this:
In the name of heaven,
Os pido posada …
Until they reach the house that will give the feast and accepted, starting the piñatas, food, music, and games.
Las Piñatas
Another element key is The Piñata, with singing of the litany song, traditional games, sweets and beverages of the season.
The piñatas are rooted in the colonial era when Mexican Franciscan friars seeking to replace the pagan festivals. The piñata represents the sin, as it always piñata is colorful and pretty, and we were introduced sin into the world as something attractive. A piñata must be hit with a stick, what means the strength that God gives us in his gospel to combat the sin, the person who sticks the piñata is blindfolded and must therefore guess where is the piñata, what means that in the world we are going to “blind” against the sin. At the moment that the piñata breaks, fall fruits and sweets that are within it, symbolizing the premiosy blessings that God gives us to overcome the sin.
Los Aguinaldos
Also there are the bonuses (aguinaldos), can be divided into the Posadas and In Christmas Night and can be prepare with candies of the season (collation), walnuts, pineapple, tejocotes, peanuts and sometimes cookies, and distributed to all participants.
La Rama (the branch) en Veracruz
Then we are going from house to house singing-wondering if the family wanted to hear whether the branch and said that yes, sang and gave us money. Usually we did before they started the lodges, December 16, but sometimes we continued beyond that date.
The problem is that I do not remember the lyrics of the song. I know that changed depending on who sang it. Sometimes it was longer, sometimes more cortita (short), but there were some parts that always stays.
About the song La Rama, this is the lyrics of the song:
SPANISH
Naranjas y limas
limas y limones
más linda la Virgen que todas las flores
En un portalito
de cal y de arena
nació Jesucristo
por la Nochebuena
Zacatito verde
lleno de rocío
el que no se tape
se muere de frío
Y dependiendo de si se le da algo a la rama se canta:
Ya se va la rama
muy agradecida
porque en esta casa fue bien recibida
Pasen buenas noches, así les deseamos
pasen buenas noches, nosotros nos vamos.
O si no le toca nada a la rama, pues…
Ya se va la rama
muy desconsolada
porque en esta casa no le dieron nada
Pasen buenas noches, así les deseamos…
**************************************************
ENGLISH
Oranges and limes
Limes and lemons
More Beautiful Virgin compare with all flowers
In a little house of
Lime and sand
Jesus Christ was born
In Christmas night
Green little grass
Filled with dew
Who doesn’t keep warm
Can die from cold
And depending on if something is given to La Rama (the branch) is sung:
It’s leaving the branch
Very grateful
Because this house was well received
Spend goodnight and wish them
Goodnight pass, we are going now.
Or if you do not get anything in La Rama (the branch) because …
It’s leaving the branch
Very bereaved
Because in this house did not give anything
Spend good evening, we wish them well …
I would like to clarify that I was born in the state of Veracruz, where there is such a tradition as in Yucatan, and is conducted in the days before Christmas. After the Christmas presents in Veracruz another tradition very similar but with a different song, which is called ‘The Old Man’ (El Viejo), where children masquerade of an elderly bearded white cane and bent, representing the past year.
