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People gathered for the annual Windsor Holiday Celebration in Windsor on Thursday night were treated to the celebration of a traditional posada, a recent addition to the event.
The Mexican Christmas celebration commemorates the journey Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus.
Participants, bundled up in the 44-degree weather and holding tiny LED lights as makeshift candles, chanted “The Litany for Asking for Lodging” – the traditional song of the posada – in procession as they made their way down McClelland Drive visiting vendor booths of the Mexican Market held as part of the event.
“Religion is an important part of our culture,” said organizer Miriam Gomez. “We wanted people to feel closer to their home country and to showcase our traditions.”
The procession was guided by parishioners from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church playing guitars, while two children dressed as Mary and Joseph led the way.
Participants stopped at the various booths along the way while chanting Spanish verses for “lodging,” much like in Mexico when pilgrims knock on doors asking for shelter as part of the Catholic ritual.
The final stop of the procession traditionally represents the home that offers hospitality to Mary and Joseph. At Thursday’s final stop, vendors handed out bags of candy to children.
“We are reliving our experiences in Mexico,” said Angelica, who didn’t want to give her last name, a 52-year-old Windsor resident who emigrated 14 years ago. “It reconnects us with our roots.”
Traditionally, posadas are held each night from Dec. 16 to Dec. 24, in preparation for Christmas, primarily in Mexico and in U.S. cities with large Latino communities like Los Angeles.
“This (event) was just a taste of what the posadas are,” Gomez said.
It is the second year a posada has been included in the annual holiday celebration.
The Town of Windsor reached out to Gomez, co-owner of Spanish radio station La Maquina Musical, seeking to include a Hispanic celebration in the winter event, which has been running for 24 years.
“Our first posada was put together at the last minute,” said Marisol Spiegel, the business resources coordinator from the Windsor Chamber of Commerce. “But it was so well received that the city asked us to do it again.”
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Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a fire truck during the Holiday Celebration on the Windsor Town Green on Thursday, December 4, 2025. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
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Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a fire truck during the Holiday Celebration on the Windsor Town Green on Thursday, December 4, 2025. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
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The Windsor Holiday Celebration, held at Windsor Town Green, also included a mariachi performance, youth performances, the annual tree lighting ceremony and the arrival of Santa Claus, who made a grand entrance in a fire truck adorned with lights. Additionally, a menorah dedication was led by the Jewish Community Center of Sonoma County.