The Gonzalez Gongora family Israel, Veronica, Regina (7) and Israel (3) From: Mexico Years in Singapore: 4

Christmas is our favourite time of year. Every year we return to Mexico to visit family and friends. Staying at our house there brings back so many memories – we love it.

With Mexico’s strong Catholic background, there are so many traditions around Christmas. The most important celebration is Christmas Eve, where families get together to exchange gifts around the tree. But prior to this, we have nine posadas, or days of celebration. A posada is a family gathering that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Families decorate their houses with lights, a Christmas tree, a Christmas crib (or nativity scene) and, of course, a guiding star at the top of the tree.

A very important element of a traditional posada is pedir posada, which means “asking for shelter”. Families split into two groups; one group goes inside the house, and the other stays outside. The group outside represents the pilgrimage of Virgin Mary and Joseph, and they carry candles and lights and ask to come into the home. Everyone takes turns singing until the pilgrims are welcomed inside to share food, love and shelter. It’s a moment of great celebration with songs and dancing.

Two other posada elements that cannot be missed are the ponche and the piñata. Ponche is a traditional hot beverage made with seasonal fruits and tamarind – delicious! A piñata is a container made of papier-mâché, carton paper or pottery that’s filled with small toys, candy, or both. It’s broken open by the children as part of the celebration. A traditional piñata is shaped like a star with seven peaks to symbolise the seven capital sins. Breaking the piñata represents the fight against evil, and the falling candies commemorate the blessings that come from defeating evil.

During a good Christmas break, you can be invited to five to seven posadas in a row with invitations coming from relatives, neighbours and friends. If you’re ever invited to a Mexican posada, remember that it’s a fun and colourful celebration. You must go!