Guatemalan Nacimiento or Nativity Scene

The official date for the commencement of the Christmas season in Guatemala is December 8th, although many malls and commercial centers, imitating the businesses from up north, begin decorating for Christmas right after Independence Day, celebrated in Guatemala on September 15th.

With the Feast for the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, people begin putting up their Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes); a tradition that was brought to Guatemala by Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt and then spread to the rest of America (the continent).

One important aspect of nacimientos is that baby Jesus is missing from the scene since his actual birthday is on December 25th. In the mean time, the quest of shelter by María and José begins; these celebrations are known in Guatemala as Posadas.

Hello, hello, hello.
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home? … just follow the white rabbit

8 Responses to "Guatemalan Nacimiento or Nativity Scene"

MO says:
December 8, 2008 at 4:49 pm
There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ships smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
When I was a child I had a fever.
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I got that feeling once again.
I cant explain, you would not understand.
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb
Reply
Rudy Girón says:
December 8, 2008 at 4:54 pm
@MO, sorry about that. I don’t know why the page was giving you an error 404, which means page not found in plain English.
@Everyone, if you meant to leave your comment earlier, but couldn’t please try again. We all benefit from everyone’s participation and your comments and feedback is the best encouragement I can receive.
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Claudia says:
December 8, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Rudy, may I mention that at least to my knowledge people are used to having their nacimientos from generation to generation. My favorite things are the animals – I don’t know that they still make them with wire legs, do you know what I mean? I know some people have family traditions to make very elaborate and beautiful nacimientos, which they used to display or you used to be able to go to certain houses to check out their nacimientos and what not. My grandmother still has her original nacimiento set, and she does as you commented, hides the baby Jesus until Dec. 24th midnight. It is such an awesome tradition, though you may think it is corny, as children we did like getting presents, or should I say “a present” but we loooved helping set up the nacimiento, it was a whole affair. Going to the mercado to get aserrin of different colors, manzanillas, almonds, grapes and red apples. That was the only time of the year in which we ate these fruits in my household. I remember the huge crowds and carrying out stuff in the camioneta.
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Javier says:
December 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Rudy, when I was a kid, my grandmother used to secure the baby jesus under the tree, because it would always be kidnapped. According to my colonia’s tradition the kidnapper would bring back the baby jesus on dia de los reyes, and my grandparents would have to throw a big party in order to get the baby jesus back.
Reply
1. Rudy Girón says:
  December 25, 2008 at 11:06 pm
  Javier, first time I hear about the kidnapping of baby Jesus. I know in Mexico they have a big torta on Día de Reyes and whoever ends up with the baby figure has to pay or invite the tamaliza (tamal-eating feast) on Día de la Virgen de Candelaria (Feb. 2nd).
  Reply
Ingrid Dlc Aroche says:
December 24, 2012 at 10:25 am
Dear Rudy,
Thank you for taking such beautiful pictures of my beautiful country’s churches and traditions!
Merry Christmas!
From Chicago
Ingrid De La Cruz
Reply
1. Rudy says:
  December 30, 2012 at 3:41 pm
  Hola Ingrid, gracias por tus palabras tan amables y que bueno que te gusta lo que hacemos.
  Reply

Guatemalan Nacimiento or Nativity Scene

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