There are certain Christmas traditions that almost all Americans share, like putting up a Christmas tree, waiting for Santa Claus, and opening up gifts on December 25. However, there’s more to the story than that for many of the nation’s Hispanics. Although they share in these celebrations, other traditions also play a part in Hispanic Christmas holidays.
Given that 68 percent of America’s Hispanics claim a Roman Catholic background , many Hispanic Christmas celebrations have some root in Catholicism. These include las posadas, a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s pilgrimage to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Also, there are the family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and midnight church services, and the celebration of the Three Kings Day on January 6, which for many Hispanics is the official end of the Christmas season.
Las Posadas, or “the inns,” are a big part of Hispanic Catholic culture, especially among those of Mexican heritage. The tradition is that a group of children and adults re-enact the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. Children dress up as Joseph and Mary, shepherds and other biblical characters. Like trick-or-treaters walking the town, the group walks by candlelight to a local home, where they sing to the owner or the “innkeeper” asking for a place to stay for the night. Then, the owners open their door to the group and host a big dinner for everyone, along with a piñata party for the children. (The old game of hitting a piñata while blindfolded actually has religious connotations. )