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| Photo by: Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation |
Las Posadas is a nine-day celebration that remembers the story of Mary and Joseph as they look and ask for shelter in Bethlehem. The evening celebrations begin on December 16th and end on Christmas Eve. It's celebrated through much of Latin America and in many Latino communities in the United States. Because it is becoming more popular here and more schools are teaching about Las Posadas, I've put together this list of Las Posadas lesson plans, crafts, books, and more.
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A Quick Personal Note
Growing up, I attended countless posadas. Some were hosted by my family, and the rest by friends. Even now, some 20 (30?!?!) years later, I can still remember the excitement and the anticipation that each one created within me. I always chose to be a part of the outside group, one of the “peregrinos” asking for shelter. Standing outside in the cold with my boots pinching my feet, I would shiver and watch my breath floating away on the frigid air. Sometimes I would stand with a candle clutched in my hand or maybe holding the peregrinos that my grandmother fiercely guarded all year long, stored carefully in a box, only to be taken out and lovingly prepared for their important role in our yearly celebrations.
It grieves me that I cannot share this tradition with my own children now. Distance and circumstance can be bitter bedfellows. But I can still share my own childhood experiences with them through stories and in other ways that I piece together. I hope you enjoy this collection of lesson plans, activities and crafts that I have discovered or that others have shared with me. This page will continue to be updated as I stumble upon new ideas or projects, so check back often. And I do hope that you will not hesitate to share your own discoveries or creative activities with us, as well.
First of all, be sure to check out my Pinterest Board on Las Posadas for some great ideas!
• Las Posadas A nice description and history with links to various sites related to las posadas.
• Christmas in Mexico: Navidad en Mexico, a Mexican holiday resource page. Lots of links!
• Celebrate La Posada in Mexico! Scholastic’s lesson plan
• La Posada: A Christmas Skit An English version. Too bad they don’t have a Spanish version, but I think that most teachers could rewrite the lines for their Spanish classes.
• In my TpT shop, I have a Las Posadas Minibook that is an introduction for young children. It includes coloring pages of the elements most closely associated with the holiday, as well as brief descriptions of each one.
• I also have this set of Las Posadas Bilingual Book of Words for children in Pre-K through 2nd grade.
• You may also love my Posada Countdown Calendar! It's great for home or classroom use.
• My Do-It-Yourself Posada Kit has all the resources you'll need for hosting your own posada at home or school.
• See my entire Las Posadas collection here.
• Mexconnect’s Mexican Tradition - Pidiendo Posada Probably the best source of lyrics with English and Spanish versions. They also have a sheet music version.
• The Mexican Posada Song on Experience San Miguel de Allende
• Don't miss this EXCELLENT tutorial on making your own traveling nacimiento by Sabor a Cajeta.
• BeforeAndAfterTV has this great video with instructions on making a star piñata.
• Here's how to make a fast and easy papel picado banner.
• But my favorite poinsettia craft is this one from First Palette.
• Here is a coloring page not of the posada, but of the children hitting the piñata and scrambling for candies.
• Crayola has these luminary templates that are fun and easy to do.
• Not too many videos out on posadas, but I really like this one by The Other Side of the Tortilla.
And don't miss this one...
Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
Carlos, Light the Farolito by Jean Ciavonne and Donna Clair
Las Posadas: A Christmas Musical for Children from the Mexican Tradition by Albert Zabel, Deborah Somuano
Las Posadas: An Hispanic Christmas Celebration by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Las Posadas (Fiestas Con Velas) (Spanish Edition) by Jennifer Blizin Gillis
Uno, Dos, Tres, Posada! by Virginia Kroll
It grieves me that I cannot share this tradition with my own children now. Distance and circumstance can be bitter bedfellows. But I can still share my own childhood experiences with them through stories and in other ways that I piece together. I hope you enjoy this collection of lesson plans, activities and crafts that I have discovered or that others have shared with me. This page will continue to be updated as I stumble upon new ideas or projects, so check back often. And I do hope that you will not hesitate to share your own discoveries or creative activities with us, as well.
First of all, be sure to check out my Pinterest Board on Las Posadas for some great ideas!
History and Lesson Plans
• Las Posadas A nice description and history with links to various sites related to las posadas.
• Christmas in Mexico: Navidad en Mexico, a Mexican holiday resource page. Lots of links!
• Celebrate La Posada in Mexico! Scholastic’s lesson plan
• La Posada: A Christmas Skit An English version. Too bad they don’t have a Spanish version, but I think that most teachers could rewrite the lines for their Spanish classes.
Printables
• In my TpT shop, I have a Las Posadas Minibook that is an introduction for young children. It includes coloring pages of the elements most closely associated with the holiday, as well as brief descriptions of each one.
• I also have this set of Las Posadas Bilingual Book of Words for children in Pre-K through 2nd grade.
• You may also love my Posada Countdown Calendar! It's great for home or classroom use.
• My Do-It-Yourself Posada Kit has all the resources you'll need for hosting your own posada at home or school.
• See my entire Las Posadas collection here.
Recipes
• Here's a delicious Champurrado recipe from Muy Bueno Cookbook. And you may also want to look at her Atole de Vainilla.• Sweet Life has this great post for Celebrating Las Posadas with Galletas de Atole, as well as one for Pan de Polvo.
• Ponche Navideño on Experience San Miguel de Allende One recipe for the traditional Mexican Christmastime drink.
• Feliz Navidad - Christmas Eve Mexican Style - Las Posadas by MexGrocer.com also has some super yummy recipes.
• Ponche Navideño on Experience San Miguel de Allende One recipe for the traditional Mexican Christmastime drink.
• Feliz Navidad - Christmas Eve Mexican Style - Las Posadas by MexGrocer.com also has some super yummy recipes.
Lyrics
• Mexconnect’s Mexican Tradition - Pidiendo Posada Probably the best source of lyrics with English and Spanish versions. They also have a sheet music version.
• The Mexican Posada Song on Experience San Miguel de Allende
Crafts
• Don't miss this EXCELLENT tutorial on making your own traveling nacimiento by Sabor a Cajeta.
• BeforeAndAfterTV has this great video with instructions on making a star piñata.
• How to make your own star piñata ornaments.
• Teacher’s Discovery has a mini star piñata kit that comes with the materials to make 30 mini star piñata ornaments. They also carry a glittery poinsettia kit that makes 90(wow!) 3-dimensional flowers.
• Here are directions for making your own farolitos, or luminary craft. (Remember that to reduce the risk of fire, please use battery-powered votive candles.)
• Tin Can Luminary Craft Good instructions for creating a tin can luminary.
• First-School.ws has a lesson plan/crafts for poinsettias in English.
• Teacher’s Discovery has a mini star piñata kit that comes with the materials to make 30 mini star piñata ornaments. They also carry a glittery poinsettia kit that makes 90(wow!) 3-dimensional flowers.
• Here are directions for making your own farolitos, or luminary craft. (Remember that to reduce the risk of fire, please use battery-powered votive candles.)
• Tin Can Luminary Craft Good instructions for creating a tin can luminary.
• First-School.ws has a lesson plan/crafts for poinsettias in English.
• Here's how to make a fast and easy papel picado banner.
• But my favorite poinsettia craft is this one from First Palette.
• Here is a coloring page not of the posada, but of the children hitting the piñata and scrambling for candies.
• Crayola has these luminary templates that are fun and easy to do.
Videos
• Not too many videos out on posadas, but I really like this one by The Other Side of the Tortilla.
And don't miss this one...
Music
Books
Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
Carlos, Light the Farolito by Jean Ciavonne and Donna Clair
Las Posadas: A Christmas Musical for Children from the Mexican Tradition by Albert Zabel, Deborah Somuano
Las Posadas: An Hispanic Christmas Celebration by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Las Posadas (Fiestas Con Velas) (Spanish Edition) by Jennifer Blizin Gillis
Uno, Dos, Tres, Posada! by Virginia Kroll
This article was last updated on 12/4/2022