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Christmas festivities in Mexico begin with Las Posadas, a celebration signifying the Virgin Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging as they traveled to Bethlehem. Each night from December 16 to December 24, families and their neighbors travel together from house to house, singing a traditional song asking for shelter. The procession ends at a predetermined location (usually the third house), where the hosts invite the travelers in for refreshments. The group will often say prayers and sing Christmas carols, or villancicos. The children in the group break a piñata and share the candy, peanuts, and oranges inside. After the party on the last night of Las Posadas, everyone attends midnight mass, la Misa de Gallo.