christmas eve

Mayan Nativity Scene for Christmas Eve

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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 … Read more

Here comes Noche Buena to Antigua Guatemala

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Here’s your illustrated Spanish words of the day: Noche Buena, literal good night, for Christmas Eve. Noche Buena is such an important celebration in Guatemala, the equivalent of Thanksgiving for people in the U.S.; in other words, a family feast with plenty of food and hugs and kisses. The Noche Buena feast starts around 6pm … Read more

Delivering Toys On Christmas Eve

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Here’s your Spanish words of the day: Noche Buena or Christmas Eve. As in previous years, I saw a caravan with Santa Claus delivering toys in the villages of Antigua Guatemala on Christmas Eve. What caught my viewfinder was that fact that this caravan was sponsored by former major Dr. Adolfo Vivar and his crew. … Read more

Christmas Eve Fireworks and Firecrackers in Antigua Guatemala

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The burning of fireworks and firecrackers for Christmas Eve is less than for New Year’s Eve, but impressive nonetheless, especially when you consider people all over are burning pólvora [fireworks powder]. Here are two images showing the burning of fireworks in the village of San Pedro Las Huertas. There’s the audio again so you can … Read more

Guatemalan Nativity Scene for Christmas Eve

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Guatemalans begin putting up their Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes) around December 15; 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 … Read more

Feliz Noche Buena

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Feliz Noche Buena by Rudy Giron

Merry Christmas Eve!

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.

Also, by midnight baby Jesus is placed in the nacimiento (Nativity scene) and religious people go to church for the Christmas mass service.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I thank you for visiting AntiguaDailyPhoto and for your wonderful feedback and comments thus far.

My friend Christian “@cvander” shared this video of marimba Christmas music medley: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & Jingle Bells. Enjoy!

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Noche Buena in La Antigua Guatemala

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Christmas Eve or Noche Buena in La Antigua Guatemala is celebrated by staying up all night burning firecrackers and fireworks, eating tamales, turkey, or roasted pork leg, and drinking real fruit punch or hot real chocolate, visiting family, friends and neighbors for the respective abrazo de Noche Buena and buenos deseos (Christmas Eve hugs and … Read more

Guatemalan Christmas Decorations: El Nacimiento

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Right at midnight on December 24th/25th, baby Jesus is put in the Nacimiento scene set up on December 8th (do you remember?). Right at midnight the joy and happiness of Guatemalans celebrating Navidad (Christmas) literally explodes into firecrackers, bell rings, songs, hugs, and sharing of lots of great Guatemalan Christmas cuisine, like tamales especially made … Read more