16th November 2016
Dear Parents/Carers
“Las Posadas – A Journey Towards Christmas”
This year we are again adapting a Mexican tradition which we would also like the children to enjoy. In Mexico during Advent (the days leading up to Christmas) they celebrate “Las Posadas”. Local village children carry figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey from house to house in a re-enactment of their search for lodging in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. The figures (having been turned away from two houses each time they travel) are accepted in a different home every night until Christmas Eve, when they are taken to the local church and the baby Jesus is put in the crib in the Nativity Scene.
This tradition has been adapted so that families who would like to can give a home to our own Posada family (quite small knitted figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey), who will be looking for “lodging” during Advent (1st to 24th December). The Posada family, with an Advent candle to light, go to a different home each night, from Tuesday 1st December, until Christmas Eve. On school days the family should be brought into school. At weekends we will help families to make arrangements for exchange.
The Posada family will be blessed at the Advent Service at St Mary’s Church on Sunday 27th November at 10am. If you are able to attend the service and host the family on the night of 27th November and then bring it into school on 28th November, please indicate this on the form below.
On Christmas Eve, at the Crib Service at St. Mary’s Church at 3.00pm, the figure of baby Jesus will be added to the family, and the nativity scene will be completed.
If your family would like to host the Posada family for a night, perhaps as a reminder of what Christmas is really all about, please return the form below to Mrs Kent via either school office by Tuesday 22nd November.
Yours sincerely
Sue Kent
Sue Kent
Admin Officer
