Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in Guatemala

Guatemala is a diverse country with more than a dozen ethnic groups, so there is quite a bit of diversity in how Christmas is celebrated, says Obed Yoc, Community Outreach Director for Hope Renewed International (HRI).

“No matter what your ethnic or religious background is, from before Christmas through New Year’s, it is an important time for families to gather together and celebrate God’s blessing on their lives”

— Obed Yoc, Community Outreach Director

women New Years day procession to church.jpg — Procession to church

San Juan la Laguna, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala - December 31, 2018: Procession of local Tz'utujil Maya women in traditional clothing head to church on New Year's Eve in lakeside village of San Juan la Laguna

Learn more about Hope Renewed's transition home in Lake Atitlan

Colorful processions of people dressed in their finest clothing, including indigenous attire, fill the streets. Melodies of traditional songs and fireworks mix in an energizing euphony of sound. Street vendors offer a host of mouth-watering Guatemalan foods. And, of course, children are the center of attention, from gift-giving and new clothes to shooting off fireworks.

Christmas is also a time when a variety of religious rituals are observed. Given the country’s mix of pre-Hispanic, Mayan and Afro-Caribbean traditions and Catholic and Protestant beliefs, exploring some of these traditions offers fascinating insights into its people and culture.

El Quema del Diablo (Burning of the devil) − December 7 at precisely 6 pm. Deeply rooted in pre-Hispanic tradition, piñatas designed in the likeness of the devil are burned as a symbol of releasing negative energy. Mostly observed by Catholic Guatemalans, its purpose is to get rid of any bad spirits that might interfere with the celebration of the Christmas season, which officially kicks off Advent.
Procesíon de la Virgen de Concepcíon (Procession of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception) − December 8. A holy day for Catholics, Guatemalans who observe this tradition take to the streets following a float designed to represent the Virgin Mary and singing songs in her honor. The procession ends when the float is brought back to the church and is followed by a mass.
El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe (Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe) − December 12. Originating in Mexico, this popular Catholic feast celebrates the belief that a peasant (Juan Diego) encountered the Virgin Mary, Mexico’s patron saint, in Mexico City on December 9 and 12, 1531. Guatemalans take pride in the Virgin’s manifestation to a poor man not far from their homeland. Guatemalan children wear traditional Indigenous clothing and walk in a procession with sparklers and other fireworks in honor of the Virgin Mary. Parents may bring their newborns to her shrine and pray for blessing and support.
Las Posadas (the inns) − December 16 - 24. During each of these nine nights (representing the nine months Mary was pregnant with the Christ Child) processions of celebrants carry or follow a float featuring images of Joseph and Mary. The carrying of the float symbolizes the journey that Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The procession stops at three homes each evening, but is turned away by the first two. At the third home, the host welcomes the travelers with tamales, chuchitos, barquillos (pastry) and other traditional Guatemalan foods.
Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) – December 24. Throughout all regions of Guatemala, Christmas Eve is the most significant day of the holiday season. Families gather together in their homes and enjoy a feast comprised of traditional dishes, which always includes Guatemalan tamales. In some regions they are made of corn and in others of rice or potatoes. A popular beverage served is ponche de frutas, a hot fruit punch of apples, pears, pineapple and other fruits as well as cinnamon.
In Catholic homes, el Nacimiento (the nativity scene) is central to the family’s Christmas decorations. The nativity scene is often decorated with brightly colored sawdust and recreated in intricate detail. Protestants tend to take a more reserved approach, with a small replica placed on a mantel or under the Christmas tree. In both instances , the figure of the baby Jesus is absent from the scene until his birthdate on December 25.
At the stroke of midnight, communities light fireworks and firecrackers to celebrate the Lord’s birth. Everyone hugs and wishes each other “Feliz Navidad.” In many homes, families pray together around the nativity scene or Christmas tree. If presents are exchanged, they are opened shortly after midnight and, afterward, families visit neighbors and children are allowed to stay up to play with their new toys into the early morning.
Dia de Navidad (Christmas Day): With the many festivities leading up to the birthday of Jesus, Christmas is a day to relax. Guatemalans tend to sleep in and enjoy simple foods such as caldo de gallo (chicken soup). If not every present was opened on Christmas Eve, once everyone in the house is up, the remaining gifts are unwrapped.
Vispera De Año Nuevo (New Year’s Eve): New Year’s Eve is celebrated in abundance throughout Guatemala. Parties last well into the morning, featuring dancing, music and traditional foods and drink. Naturally, fireworks are essential to the occasion.
Día de Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day) – January 1. While an official holiday in Guatemala, New Year’s Day is a quiet time when people recover from the festivities of New Year’s Eve. Many head to the beaches of the coast of Guatemala to extend their holiday.

Of course, not all Guatemalans are able to buy the clothing, food or fireworks to celebrate the Christmas traditions of their heritage. Impoverished people living in regions including La Limonada are left behind and left out, ostracized during a season that should be filled with joy and hope.

The Hope Center in La Limonada, currently under construction by HRI and its partners, will help give families marketable skills and good paying jobs, so they can reclaim their Christmas heritage.

During this season of giving, please consider partnering with us by giving a donation. Consider donating in the memory of a loved one or as a Christmas gift to a friend or family member in their name.