‘Tis the season

In writing these words, I am guided to do an inner search and dive into my cultural heritage. You see? I was born and raised in Mexico. – Chilanga, some would say. – My family moved to Queretaro (Central Mexico) when I was 11 years old.

Growing up, we had frequent family get-togethers. My dad’s family is from Mexico City and has always been more traditional. My mom’s family is from Mexicali, North Baja. I suppose they adopted a more relaxed view of some cultural traditions being so close to the United States.

I remember our weekly family gatherings (comidas) with my dad’s family. About 40 people were in typical attendance. There was food (lots of it), music and dancing, and many cousins to play with while the adults did their thing.

Perhaps being used to all of this made it not so special. We gathered frequently, and there was no need for a holiday. The holiday season was something else. The Christmas Season begins in mid-December with Posadas and goes beyond January 6th.

The word “posada” means lodging in English. In Spanish, the meaning varies in how it’s applied. For example, a Posada is a party related to Christmas. In a posada, it is typical to have traditional (seasonal) foods, such as tamales, atole and champurrado (thick warm drinks), ponche de frutas (warm fruit punch served in a clay mug), and the 7-star piñata filled with fruit and Mexican candy, all part of a traditional posada.

There are multiple Posadas, sort of like a countdown to Christmas. At some point in the party, there is a procession. We held lit candles (or flares) and sang, simulating Joseph and Mary’s journey into Bethlehem, asking for “posada” (lodging), and turned away a few times before being welcomed.

Family members took turns in the procession or inside (in the lodging), and when we were finally allowed in, there was a big celebration, we would eat and take turns hitting the piñata, which was my favorite part as a kid.

I remember my grandma would have this huge nativity scene, which took over the garden surrounding the house, and it had villages and lots of figurines representing different aspects of Mexican life and culture. In addition to the other posada activities, on Christmas Eve, there is reading scripture and rocking baby Jesus at midnight, who is then added to the Nativity scene.

When I was growing up, Santa Claus was not popular in Mexico. Instead, Dia de Reyes (celebrated on January 6) is when kids receive Christmas gifts, usually delivered inside a shoe. I remember getting a basketball as a gift on top of a shoe once. We were lucky in that we had Santa Claus from my mom’s side of the family and Dia de Reyes, from my dad’s side.

Dia de Reyes marks the three wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. And there is a special sweet bread called “Rosca de Reyes,” hidden inside it, there is a small figurine of a baby, representing the baby Jesus. We all take turns slicing the bread, and whoever gets the baby in their slice is responsible for hosting a “tamal party” on February 2nd, Candlemas Day (Dia de la Candelaria), a party where tamales are the main dish.

I have lived most of my adult life in the United States. And though I experienced these traditions firsthand during my childhood and teenage years, I never considered them anything special until now. As I research the meaning behind them, I am learning new things and finding a new perspective on my heritage, which I hope to pass on to my kid, as his heritage.

What I remember the most, aside from each tradition, is being together with family. This is by far the most special gift about my childhood and cultural traditions.

❥ Namaste

“The light in me honors and salutes the light within you.”

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