Las Posadas of Sedona

Each January, thousands of visitors descend on Sedona's small town for the annual Las Posadas celebration. These celebrations came about in 16th century Spain and have become a Christmas tradition for many communities throughout North America. The story tells of Mary, who God told not to go into Bethlehem because Herod had declared himself king and all babies had been killed. However, she took a chance, and the Christ child was born due to her faith. It is said that during Las Posadas, Mary can be seen following the procession through town. "The people who came from many villages in Spain carried with them their traditions," said Candace Stevens, who is of Spanish heritage and has served as one of three Posadas queens for the past 15 years. "The tradition tells about Mary and Joseph traveling from home to home, asking for shelter on their journey. It's a way to bring the celebration back to the purity of its origins." Sedona is one of about 40 communities across the country that celebrates this Christmas tradition. For those who have never seen it, here's how it works: Mary and Joseph are dressed in re-enactment clothing. They dance along with the other procession members while trying to find a place to stay for that night. As they travel from home to home, residents bring posadas (small candles), and the story is read. At the end of the reading, Mary and Joseph sing a melody and then move on to try to find another place to stay that night. "The singing of carols is where Las Posadas takes on its most unique character," Stevens said. "We sing Spanish-style carols that were written in Spain around 1500 A.D., making them one of the oldest Christmas carols still used today.