Las Posadas

[klwilliams]

My next door neighbor stopped by this afternoon (I was working from home) and invited me over to his house because his wife's family was going to be doing Las Posadas. This is a procession from her parents' house about a mile away to their house, with the people in the procession holding candles and singing songs (in Spanish), while two of them carry a small tableau of the manger scene (I think -- couldn't see it clearly -- it might have been Joseph, Mary, and the donkey). When the procession arrives at the house, the people inside and the people outside sing a song, trading verses, that I think was about Mary and Joseph asking to be let into the inn and the people in the inn saying there wasn't room. After that song, everyone comes inside, and there's a story/prayer read about the reasons for Mary and Joseph being there (I picked out enough of the words so that it sounded like the beginning of Luke). Then there are Christmas songs, a final song about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, then drinking and eating.

I like my neighbors very much, and they invite me over to family barbecues and things like that. I'm starting to get to know their families and like them, too. I'm lucky to have such good neighbors.

Comments

Neat!

[shutt3rg33k.livejournal.com]

Wow! I didn't know people did that here. Big in Panama and I assume other Central/South American countries. BTW, by inviting you to go along, you can safely assume they like you a lot too.

[acanthusleaf.livejournal.com]

Cool! My neighbors in Santa Ana did this every year too. They went all through the neighborhood singing at each house and finding no room at the inn. Debbie and I learned the right responses even though we don't speak Spanish.

Good neighbors are a treasure to be cherished.

[kahnegabs.livejournal.com]

I love that you have such great neighbors. And it's wonderful that they include you!

[evil-macaroni.livejournal.com]

That is full of awesome. I hadn't heard of Las Posadas but it sounds like a good tradition.

[threeoutside.livejournal.com]

That does sound wonderful (says the atheist, heh heh) and fun. How nice of them to include you!

And I agree, good neighbors are treasures beyond rubies. I has them, too, and are we not lucky?

[loup_noir]

Good neighbors are so rare. We're blessed here with a community of good neighbors, but I'm envious of your singing ones. How completely charming!

[katerit.livejournal.com]

I love Las Posadas - we have done that a number of years, but I haven't thought about it in far too long! What good neighbors.