Posada invitations who will give us shelter?

How to plan a posada invitation that doesn't get lost in the group chat

Posadas run from December 16th to 24th, one per night, and each one usually has a different host — a family, a group of neighbors, a school or an office. With so many dates back to back, the invitation needs to make crystal clear which posada it is, which night of the novena it falls on, and who's hosting that day.

The Posada Night design picks up the tradition of the song: the pilgrims ask for shelter outside, the hosts answer from inside, and only at the end does the door open. Bringing that moment into the digital invitation — tapping the gate and watching the verses appear — lets guests feel the posada before they even arrive, instead of just reading a notice with a time and place.

What you shouldn't skip

Date and time, address with a map and a button to Google Maps or Waze, and if it's part of a nine-night series, state which night it is and who's hosting the next ones. It also helps to mention whether there's a piñata, whether kids should bring anything, and whether dinner is a potluck of traditional food — tamales, ponche, buñuelos — so nobody shows up empty-handed if each family is expected to bring something.

On timing, a week ahead is usually enough, since posadas are organized almost night by night and everyone already expects them in December. What matters most is being clear about which posada this is, more than sending it far in advance.

Ideas by host type

• Neighborhood posada: state which night of the novena it is and whose house it's at each night.
• School posada: timing inside or outside the school day, and whether parents are invited or just the kids.
• Office posada: clarify whether it's one special night within the novena or the company's official posada.

RSVPs work the same as any digital invitation: guests tap "RSVP," type their name and how many are coming, straight to the host's WhatsApp. That way you know ahead of time how many tamales or how much ponche to prepare.

The Posada Night design, from $15, is one you edit yourself: add the date, venue and which night of the novena it is, and see it update live before you pay. The PRO version, for $59, is designed custom around your novena — with your block's or school's theme — ready in 24 business hours with two rounds of revisions.