Mayan Nativity Scene for Christmas Eve

Here’s your illustrated Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Nacimiento for Nativity Scene.

For those who are not familiar with Catholic imagery, normally the Nativity scene shows Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus along with a few animals. Except Baby Jesus is not placed at the crib until 12am on Christmas Day.

Noche Buena is the term used in Spanish for Christmas Eve. As I have mentioned before, in Guatemala, Christmas Eve is as important as Christmas. People stay up all night waiting for midnight to have tamales with the family and to open up their presents underneath the Christmas tree. People also burn many different types of firecrackers and fireworks. Kids run around the neighborhood given hugs and wishing a Merry Christmas. Right at midnight people burn so many firecrackers and fireworks that you might think it is the third world war.

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