Celebrate Mexican holiday tradition on Dec. 3

Ripon College’s La Unida, a Hispanic student organization, will host a Las Posadas cultural event from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, as part of Dickens of a Christmas. The event will be held at 314: Ripon College Project Space on Watson Street, and food, beverages and dancing will be featured.

Las Posadas is a Mexican tradition that celebrates and re-creates the journey Joseph and Mary undertook to find a place for Baby Jesus to be born. This sometimes also is celebrated in the southern United States.

During Las Posadas, people walk through town and stop at certain locations singing Christmas carols and asking for lodging. In Mexico, this is a nine-evening celebration, but for Ripon’s event, there will be a procession for only the one night.

Lyrics of the carols, which will be sung in Spanish, will be provided.

The procession will depart from 314 and return there. After the procession returns, tamales and punches, a traditional Mexican Christmas drink, will be served. There also will be bolo, a bag filled with sweets, for small children.

Professor of Economics Soren Hauge will accompany the singers on guitar.