A Guatemalan Christmas

Nothing would be better than to have Grace home for her first Christmas. But, since that couldn't happen, at 7 months old, she will be experiencing her first Christmas in Guatemala with her foster family.

Christmas in Guatemala mixes Christian and Mayan traditional celebrations. The days before Christmas are filled with parties and preparations, including fireworks! Families decorate their homes with pine wreaths, poinsettias, manzanillas (small yellow fruits), and nacimientos (Nativity scenes). Christmas trees have become popular in Guatemala because of the strong German population there. For 9 days before Christmas, posada processions pass through the streets with neighbors carrying the figures of Mary and Joseph stopping at houses to sing the traditional carol asking for lodging for the Holy Family.

On Christmas Eve, called La Noche Buena, everyone stays up very late because the celebrations do not start until late. At the stroke of midnight, you share "El Abrazo de Navidad", the Christmas hug, with your family and friends and many people attend midnight mass. The party continues into the early morning with fireworks, tamales, empanadas, and pastel noviden (Christmas cake). Most children open presents on Christmas morning, brought to them not by Santa, but by El Nino Jesus.
A lot of this reminds me of the way my family spent Christmas Eve at my grandmother's house when we were kids. The whole family was together, staying up until midnight, when we sang "Silent Night" and put the Baby Jesus in his manger.

I can't help but wonder how Grace will spend her Christmas. But her foster mother promised me she would take pictures. And Grace has a wonderful dress to wear for "La Noche Buena".