Those familiar with Christmas posts will certainly recognise the face of this woman, my Christmas decoration vendor. Every year she shows up on the parque central of San Pedro Las Huertas with all kinds of festive decorations, from the authentic Guatemalan stuff to the glitter artificial stuff as shown here in the background. I believe … Read more
Here’s a sampling of the most popular Christmas decorations used in Guatemala. How many Christmas decorations do you recognise or which one are used where you live? By the way, if you want to take a photographic tour through the different Guatemalan Christmas decorations, follow the white rabbit. Enjoy the tour and let us know … Read more
The market in Antigua was a bit mad last night. There’s a whole little enclave of Xmas kitsch at the rear that I’ve never witnessed before: flashing lights, coloured sawdust, statues of magi bearing frankincense, ovejas de tusa, pine needles etc. Of course I’d left my camera behind. Might go back this evening after picking … Read more
Even though you may seem Christmas decorations as early as September in Guatemala, the official Christmas season celebrations begins with the Burning of the Devil on December 7. Check out the Burnig of the Devil slide show if you need a photographic overview of this authentic Guatemalan celebration. Once the air is cleansed from evil … Read more
Aserrín (sawdust) is used often in Guatemala for decorations, especially the world famous Holy Week carpets. Sawdust is dyed with bright colors to provide the color and contrast of the different designs. This photo and the next are the last in the Guatemalan Christmas Decorations series.
On December 23rd the quest for lodging or the act of pedir posada ends and marks the beginning of preparations for Christmas or the birth of baby Jesus. Here you can see a typical anda (float) with the figures of Mary and Joseph as they wondered around town looking for lodging (posada) and the final … Read more
One of the most important decorations for the nacimientos is the pashte; also known as paxtle, paste, pastle, or simply heno, which is the neutral Spanish word. Pashte is translated into English as Spanish moss; go figures. You must revisit the nacimiento photo from December 8th to see how pashte is used for the Nativity … Read more
Musgo is the Spanish word for moss. Musgo is used for the nacimiento scenes (nativities scenes) in Guatemala. You buy musgo by la medida (the bunch) for Q5; depending in the size of your nacimiento, you may need two or three bunches. Come back tomorrow to learn about the Guatemalan moss known pashte.
As I said at the very beginning of the Guatemalan Christmas Decoration series, the pine tree provides many elements of the Christmas decorations for Guatemalans like chicuyas (pine cones) as adornments, pine needles as carpets, and pine rings (cordones de pino). Cordones or cadenas de pino usually hang across the living rooms and around the … Read more
Paja (straw) or pajilla (little straw) are also found in the nativity scenes in the Guatemalan homes known as nacimientos in Spanish. As you can see, many of the Guatemalan Christmas decorations are made from natural plants.
We’re Hombres de Maíz. Follow the white rabbit and you’ll know why! Corderos (lambs) made from tusa (dried corn husk) are very popular around the Christmas season. As decorations goes, these borregos (lamb) made from natural fibers from the dried corn husks can be found in windows, gardens, front yards, doorways, balconies; you name it … Read more
These tree parasites are known as gallitos or patas de gallo. Once again, I am going to abuse from your kindness and ask to provide the English name for this plant that is often found as a parasite in trees. Gallitos are an integral part of the Guatemalan Christmas decorations, quite often found underneath the … Read more
The chamomile rings are known as manzanilla in Guatemala (tejocotes in Mexican Spanish). The aroma of a Guatemalan Christmas decoration is provided mainly by the chamomile rings and the pine needles (used as carpets). Other scents around the Christmas season in Guatemala come off from the tamales, ponche (fruit punch) and hot authentic chocolate. The … Read more
Pino is the name by which Guatemalans refer to the pine needles used as Christmas decorations, specifically, to spread around the floor and nacimientos. Pine needles and the chamomile rings provide the scent for a typical Guatemalan Navidad (Christmas).
Chicuyas is the name by which Guatemalans name the part of the pine tree, which I don’t its English name (can you help me with the English name for part of the pine tree). The pine tree provides many elements of the Christmas decorations for Guatemalans, like the pine needle that is spread on the … Read more