Guatemalans participate or enjoy a Christmas Posada celebration in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Las Posadas is Christmas season celebration and a novenario nine days of religious observance celebrated chiefly in Latin America, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, and by Hispanics in the United States, beginning 16 December and ending 24 December. Las Posadas is Spanish for lodging, or accommodation, which in this case refers to the inn in the story of the nativity of Jesus. It uses the plural form as the celebration lasts for a nine-day interval called the novena during the Christmas season. The novena represents the nine-month pregnancy of Mary, the mother of Jesus celebrated by Christians. Two people dress up as Mary and Joseph. Certain houses are designated to be an `inn` thus the name `Posada`. At each house, the resident responds by singing a song and Mary and Joseph are finally recognized and allowed to enter. Once the `innkeepers` let them in, the group of guests come into the home and kneel around the Nativity scene to pray. The people asking for posada travel to 1 house each night for 8 nights. Individuals may actually play the various parts of Mary MarÃÂa and Joseph. The procession will be followed by musicians, with the entire procession singing posadas such as pedir posada. At the end of each night`s journey, there will be Christmas carols villancicos, children will break open star-shaped piñatas to obtain candy and fruit hidden inside, and there will be a feast.
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