Children smash open a "piñata." It is a colorfully decorated, hollow animal or star made out of clay or paper-mache.
It is full of sweets, nuts, fruits and toys and is hung from the ceiling. The children are blindfolded and take turns trying to hit the "piñata" with a stick' until it breaks spilling its' contents onto the floor.

This happens during the nine days before Christmas, during the 'Las Posadas' celebrations, in which people get together to reenact Mary's and Joseph's difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of shelter. 'Posad' is a Spanish word that means shelter or lodging.

The poinsettia is native to Mexico.
There is a legend connected with the flower. 'A little boy named Pablo was walking to the church in his village to visit the Nativity scene, when he realized he had nothing to offer the Christ Child. He saw some green branches growing along the roadside and gathered them up. Other children scoffed, but when he laid them by the manger, a brilliant red star-shaped flower appeared on each branch.'
Did you Know? Poinsettia Day is today, December 12th. It was declared in honor of the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, whom the plant is named after.

Children write letters to the Christ child instead of to Father Christmas.

On the eve of the Epiphany, children put their shoes at the end of their beds for the Three Magi to fill.

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