VENCES: Origin and meaning of ‘piñatas’ and posadas

Growing up in Mexico City, it was exciting when Dec. 16 came around, the beginning of “posadas and piñatas season,” or the novena to Christmas, if we want to be more exact. Yes, the posadas are a great example of the living or experiential form of catechesis that evangelizers from Spain used to convert and catechize the natives in the valley of Mexico.  

After the initial rejection of Christianity (that was transformed into openness by the apparition in the same valley of our Lady of Guadalupe), the missionaries had to figure out ways to evangelize and catechize the large native population that flocked to the Catholic faith after the apparitions. It could not simply be through verbal communication as the missionaries and the natives spoke very different languages and came from very different cultures, but out of the inculturation of the Catholic beliefs into the native culture, the posadas came to be. 

Posada is the Spanish name for an “inn,” and the posadas accompany Mary and Joseph as they try to find a place for Mary to rest and give birth to our Savior. While in the Gospel narratives, they are rejected and alone, in a posada celebration, the “pilgrims” are not alone on their journey (the community surrounds them and carries them), and they are ultimately given shelter at the home of a member of the community. In a posada celebration, Mary and Joseph are welcomed into the community, and they become a part of the community, one with it. 

The breaking of the “piñata” is also full of symbols. First, the original design is the pot with seven “horns” attached and decorated with flashy and attractive colors. It is a symbol of evil and its seven deadly sins, which often appear to us as harmless and fun.

The people of the community, starting with the younger ones, take turns to fight against it with eyes covered (which symbolizes faith) guided only by the voices of the rest of the community that try to guide you through your journey of faith, armed with a stick, which represents virtue.  

Fighting against evil takes everyone; it takes several tries by different members of the community. Evil gradually weakens until it is finally shattered into pieces, and, as a result, goodness, grace and joy are showered on the community who, unlike the people in the Gospel narratives, welcomed Mary, Joseph and Jesus with open arms. I can tell you the novena of posadas before Christmas makes for a very joyful Advent. 

As I come across piñatas in the shape of superheroes and popular fictional characters, I hope that we may rediscover the creative, experiential and enculturating power of posadas and piñatas. During my ministry at St. Ambrose, we made it a tradition that every faith formation group would decorate and break their own piñata every year. It was a challenge, and it took a lot of collaboration to keep everyone safe, but I can report that it made for a joyful and full-of-expectation Advent season. †

Miguel A. Vences is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.