Kids formed a line to take their swing at a seven-pointed piñata hanging from a tree branch. When it was finally cracked open, they ran to pick up as much candy as they possibly could.
Of course they enjoyed the literal nature of breaking a piñata on a random weekday night, much like any other birthday party in San Antonio. But this piñata was special and the religious context explains why this tradition continues across Mexico and Hispanic communities for centuries.
At the Rinconcito de Esperanza, about 40 people from Domesticas Unidas, the Esperanza Center and the Historic West Side Residents Association enjoyed a spread of champurrado, ponche and mole among many foods at a communal table.
They were there to celebrate Las Posadas, a Catholic tradition in which the community reenacts the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus, followed by “breaking the seven deadly sins,” represented by the piñata.
“This is to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and how his parents are very similar to many of our homeless,” said Leticia Sanchez co-chair of the Historic West Side Residents Association, referring to the hospitality Mary and Joseph sought for the birth of Jesus.
“A lot of times, if you’re poor, don’t have connection or power, you’re pushed away. But it also teaches you there is good in the world, there are good people and somebody will help,” she said.
Sanchez has gone to many posadas growing up on the West Side.
But over the years, it’s changed. Oftentimes it was the local Catholic Church that has hosted neighborhood posadas. A shortage of priests at Catholic churches has impacted the number of Posada activities, Sanchez said.
In San Antonio, Catholic Mexican families celebrate posadas with their neighbors or friends, and some churches still organize Posadas, said Ana Reyes, co-owner of Piñata Time, a shop on West Commerce Street.
For the past 12 years, she’s relied on the San Antonio market with its lifelong customers who got piñatas for their birthdays growing up, and now get piñatas for their children, grandparents and for anniversaries.
“The tradition comes from the Españoles who colonized and utilized it as a medium of evangelism to explain to native Aztecs how the seven points are the seven sins, and if you have strength, you break those sins and the grace of God falls,” Reyes said, as she finished making 150 to 200 piñatas for Posadas during a Dec. 4 interview.
There are also community events celebrating the nine days between Dec. 16 to Christmas Eve, like the annual La Gran Posada at San Fernando Cathedral, posadas at the historic Missions, and at the Little Flower Basilica.
On Wednesday after eating, the group chose two people to act as Mary and Joseph to hold a figure of Jesus. Behind them, a procession of two dozen people followed as they went door to door around the house, singing Canto Para Pedir Posada, one part sang by peregrinos (Mary and Joseph seeking lodging), and the other by the posada (the innkeepers that had lodging).
It looked like carolling; Even though they sing it every year, people still needed the paper with the lyrics. And instead of Christmas decorations, colorful papel picado, string lights and several small piñatas adorned the patio.
In Mexico, it’s the same; papel picado, kids yelling, holding sticks, hitting piñatas, people eating an abundance of fruit and candy.
“It’s very, very traditional,” said Araceli Herrera, a member of Domesticas Unidas who sang among the loudest in the procession. “It just reminds me of my country, it reminds me of my family. In Mexico, it’s so beautiful. … We want to revive these traditions.”
