A posada is easier than it looks if you do things in the right order: fix the date early, send the invitation three weeks ahead, order tamales once you have RSVPs, and leave only the ponche and the piñata for the last two days. Here is the checklist, week by week.
To send the invitation, start with our posada invitations.
Four Weeks Before
- Pick the night. Posadas run December 16 to 24. Weekends fill fast with office and school posadas, so check with family before you announce.
- Decide the kind of posada: family at home, neighborhood or street, kids, or work.
- Make the guest list. Count children separately; they decide how many aguinaldos and piñatas you need.
- Ask for help. Who brings the nativity figures, who plays guitar, who makes the ponche.
Three Weeks Before
- Send the invitation with the date, start time, address, what to bring and an RSVP date about a week out.
- If it is a street posada, agree on the route with neighbors and which house opens its door at the end.
- Order the piñata if you buy it from a market or a piñata maker; star piñatas sell out close to the date.
Two Weeks Before
- Order tamales once you have most RSVPs; two to three per adult is a safe count.
- Buy or print the litany verses for pedir posada.
- Get candles with paper collars, plus battery candles for kids.
- Plan the aguinaldos: bags, candy, peanuts, tangerines, colación.
One Week Before
- Send a reminder to anyone who has not replied.
- Confirm the final count with whoever is cooking or delivering.
- Buy the ponche fruit that keeps: sugarcane, tejocotes, tamarind, cinnamon, piloncillo. Leave guavas and apples for later.
- Check the space: where the procession starts, where the piñata hangs, where people eat.
Two Days Before
- Fill the piñata and assemble the aguinaldo bags.
- Buy fresh fruit for the ponche.
- Set out the nativity scene if your family has one.
The Day of the Posada
- Start the ponche two to three hours before guests arrive.
- Hang the papel picado and string lights.
- Put the song sheets and candles by the door.
- Keep a separate pot of ponche without alcohol if you add a piquete for adults.
- Have a blindfold, a stick and a rope ready for the piñata.
The Invitation, Done Once
A video invitation saves the follow-up texts. You pick a posada design in TwistInvite, add the date, address and a photo or song, and share one link by WhatsApp or SMS. Guests open it in their browser and answer Going, Can’t make it or Maybe; the replies show up in the app, which is the number you need for tamales and aguinaldos.
New to hosting? Read how to host a posada first. For text ideas, see posada invitation wording. Open the posada templates in TwistInvite.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I send a posada invitation?
About three weeks ahead. December weekends fill quickly with office, school and family events.
How many tamales do I need for a posada?
Two to three per adult and one to two per child, plus a few extra for late guests.
What goes in posada aguinaldo bags?
Usually wrapped candy, peanuts, a tangerine or two, and colación. Some families add a small toy for each child.
Can I plan a posada in one week?
Yes. Send the invitation the same day, buy a ready-made piñata, and order tamales as soon as you have a count.
Create it in the TwistInvite app
Download free on iPhone or Android, then share one link with your guests.