The Posadas, which means lodging or shelter, are celebrated every evening from December 16^th to the 24^th. These  celebrations mark Mary and Joseph's cold and difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter. Nowadays, the Posada party is both a religious  and social occasion, a festive representation of the journey to Bethlehem.

People form a procession and walk towards a house. Everyone in the procession carries lighted candles and  sings as they slowly walk along. On reaching a house, half the group stays  outside and begs for shelter from the other half, who are inside the house. The doors are opened, the religious part of the celebration ends, and the fun  begins.

At the end of each Posada, the piñata is broken. Piñatas traditionally are made of a fragile earthenware  jar covered with papier-mâché, but these days they can be made by pasting  papier-mâché over an inflated balloon. The piñata is filled with seasonal  fruit, traditionally in the shape of a star to represent the one that guided the  Magi to the new-born infant Jesus.

Today, piñatas are often made in the shape of an animal, star or a popular cartoon character, and filled with trinkets and sweets. The piñata is strung up on a rope, and a blindfolded child who has been spun round and round tries to break the piñata with a stick. The piñata is lowered and raised while several children take turns to hit it. Eventually someone gives the piñata a good whack and there is a general scramble as everyone tries to get some of the goodies that come spilling out. Piñatas are also used at birthday  parties for children up to ten or twelve years old.