Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Guadalupans sponsored the 25th Annual Posada in Portland. These children are relatives and friends of the host family, Sergio and Hilda Gomez on the second night of the Posada. They are: front row, angels left to right, Alicia Herrera; Arlene Camacho; Zayline Camacho; Anthony Herrera; and back row: Daniella Hinojosa (Mary) and Leo Hernandez (Joseph.)

During the seasons of advent and Christmas, every parish and mission no matter how large or small has its own special traditions to honor and announce the birth of our Savior.

Some of these customs have been part of parish life since the beginnings of the parish, while some traditions are being revived or created for the first time this year.

Posadas, live nativities scenes, giving trees, Christmas pageants, and midnight Mass are just a few of the ways the faithful in each parish celebrate the blessed birth of Jesus.

St. Mary in Freer, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Portland and Immaculate Conception in Gregory were among the many parishes who had nine-day posadas beginning on December 16 and continuing until Christmas Eve.

The first evening of the Posada at Immaculate Conception was extremely rainy and cold, but it did not deter the faithful from gathering outside the church to begin their journey, following Mary and Joseph as they reenacted their search for shelter.

As he blessed the 50 travelers before they started the posada, Pastor, Fr. Raju Thottankara said, "We must offer up our discomfort to the Lord."

Led by an angel, Mary and Joseph began their journey looking for shelter as the faithful participants followed them praying the rosary.

Immaculate Conception's posada custom began in 1978, and for 15-year-old Freddy Flores, this is an event which he has attended every year.

"I have been participating in the posada all of my life. It is fun being at the church with all of my family and friends. There are usually 200 to 300 people attending the posada each night, but because of the cold there are only about 50 or so tonight," remarked Flores.

At Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Portland, the posada has been sponsored by the Guadalupanas for at least 25 years.

Parishioners Sergio and Hilda Gomez hosted the second night of the posada at their home.

"It is such a blessing to host a posada and such a wonderful tradition. Tonight we are following true Mexican customs by having tamales and a piņata for the children," said Hilda Gomez.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel also had a giving tree enabling parish members an opportunity to help the less fortunate at Christmas.

St. Therese parish in Woodsboro revived the tradition of having midnight Mass.

"It is the first time we had midnight Mass in more than 20 years. We really looked forward to having midnight Mass. It's just not the same having the Mass in the early evening on Christmas Eve," explained church secretary Beatrice Vega.

St. Therese Parish also hosted a parish wide Christmas party, and the CCD classes put on a Christmas pageant.

Creating a new advent custom was the goal of Kayla Lopez, a parishioner at Immaculate Conception in Gregory.

Lopez, a senior at Gregory-Portland High School, had dreamed of having a live nativity scene at her parish since she was 10 years old.

"I was influenced as a child when my parent took me to see an all night live nativity scene at Immaculate Conception parish in Taft," explained Lopez.

After years of thinking about it, Lopez approached Father Raju in October of this year about the possibility of staging a live nativity scene at the church.

"Father Raju said yes. My parents, Michael and Irma Lopez helped me build the stable and create the costumes. The live nativity scene began on December 16, and continued until Christmas Eve. I had to have 64 people total for all of the nights, and I had every slot filled. The live nativity scene was held each night from 7 to 8 pm."

Kayla Lopez hopes that other young people in the parish will continue the live nativity scene and start a long standing tradition.

"I am going off to college next year. I am looking forward to seeing the nativity when I come home from college next year," said Lopez.