Dale, dale, dale. Every swing at the piñata, on the big screen.

Las Posadas is a Mexican Christmas tradition celebrated on the nine nights from 16 to 24 December. Each night re-enacts Mary and Joseph's search for shelter in Bethlehem: a candlelit procession goes from door to door singing the verses of pedir posada (asking for lodging), the hosts inside sing back a refusal until the final verse welcomes the pilgrims in, and the evening continues with prayers, a piñata, ponche navideño, tamales and bags of sweets for the children called aguinaldos.

In Mexico, posada is also the everyday name for the December Christmas party of a company, a school or a group of friends — often with dinner, a gift exchange and a raffle — whether or not it includes the procession.

A posada photo wall is a live screen — a TV at home, a projector in the parish hall or the office — that guests post photos and messages to by scanning a QR code with their phone. On QR Wall it needs no app and each post appears in about a second, so the procession, the piñata and the ponche end up on one screen.

10 posada party ideas

Posada party ideas that work keep the shape of the tradition — procession, piñata, ponche, tamales — and add something for the people who can't be there. These suit a family of 15, a parish of 150 or an office posada.

1. The procession and pedir posada

   Hand out candles and printed lyrics, split guests into the pilgrims outside and the hosts inside, and sing the verses back and forth until the door opens. Two children can carry figures of Mary and Joseph, or walk as the pilgrims.

2. A star piñata

   The traditional seven-pointed star piñata, filled with fruit, peanuts and candy. Go youngest to oldest, blindfolded, with everyone singing "Dale, dale, dale". Plan one piñata per 15 to 20 children.

3. Ponche navideño on the stove

   Hot fruit punch with tejocotes, guava, apple, sugar cane, cinnamon and piloncillo, simmered in a big pot. A pot of about 10 litres serves 40 cups.

4. Tamales and a tamalada

   Make the tamales together the day before — a tamalada is its own gathering — and serve them with atole or champurrado. Plan on two or three tamales per guest.

5. Aguinaldos for the children

   Small bags of candy, peanuts, tangerines and cookies, handed out after the piñata so no child leaves empty-handed.

6. Buñuelos for dessert

   Thin fried dough with piloncillo syrup or cinnamon sugar. Buy them or fry them; either way they're the posada's dessert.

7. Sparklers and villancicos

   Luces de Bengala for the children after dark — with an adult on each — and Christmas carols to close the night.

8. Share the nine nights

   In a neighbourhood or parish, families can take turns hosting one night each from 16 to 24 December, so nobody carries all nine.

9. The office posada

   For a company posada: dinner, a gift exchange with a set amount, a raffle among those present, and a piñata — which works as well for adults as for kids. Hold it on a Friday between 11 and 18 December, before people travel.

10. A live photo wall on the screen

    Open a wall on the TV or the hall's projector and let guests post from their phones: the candles, the piñata breaking, the ponche, the kids with their aguinaldos. Family in Mexico post through the same link and appear on your screen that night.

Nine nights, many houses, one place for the photos

A posada season moves from house to house — or from a parish hall to a school to the office. Each night produces photos on dozens of phones, and the ones of the piñata breaking are the same moment from twenty angles that never meet.

A wall is a link, so it can follow the season. Keep one wall for the nine nights and every host's photos land in the same place; on the night, the room watches the piñata on the big screen while the candy is still on the floor. For families in the US, it is also the way the grandparents in Mexico get to be at the posada.

Live wall, group chat or shared album

Where posada photos usually end up.

Posada questions

Dates, traditions and what hosts ask before putting a live screen up.

When are Las Posadas 2026?

Las Posadas are held on the nine nights from 16 to 24 December. In 2026 they begin on Wednesday 16 December and end on Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December; the weekend nights are Friday 18, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December.

What happens at a posada?

A traditional posada begins with a candlelit procession re-enacting Mary and Joseph's search for shelter, singing the verses of pedir posada at the door until the hosts let the pilgrims in. Then come prayers, a star piñata, hot ponche navideño, tamales and aguinaldos — bags of sweets for the children. In Mexico, posada is also the name for a company or school Christmas party in December.

What are good posada party ideas?

Good posada party ideas keep the tradition's shape: candles and printed lyrics for the procession, a seven-pointed star piñata with "Dale, dale, dale", a pot of ponche with tejocotes and sugar cane, tamales made at a tamalada the day before, aguinaldos for every child, buñuelos, sparklers and villancicos. For an office posada, add a gift exchange and a raffle. A live photo wall puts everyone's photos on one screen.

How do I set up a photo wall for a posada?

Create a wall at qrwall.live and open the display link on a TV or projector. Guests scan the QR code on the screen with their phone camera — no app — and their photos and messages appear in about a second. For a parish, school or office posada, Professional adds an approval queue.