Signs of the Season

How do you know the hustle and bustle of Christmas has begun? Generally the stores have begun selling all their goodies to eager consumers long before Halloween and after recovering from black Friday it is acceptable to express Christmas cheer. Often the day is accompanied by some great and some not so great songs. If you are lucky enough to live in the right place you might be freezing and slipping and sliding your way to work.

Well, not so in Guatemala. You know the Christmas season is in full swing when they burn the DEVIL! That's right, you heard me. It is tradition in Guatemala on the 7th of December at promptly 6pm to set Satan aflame. It is thought that throughout the year he slinks his way in. In preparation for celebrating the birth of the Savior it is only right to do a little house cleaning. In some areas the people literally go through their homes to rid them of any inappropriate contraband. They then form a good garbage heap in the street and throw a devil on top. In many places, such as Antigua, they just stick with a ginormous devil which you can see an entire week in advance adorning the sidewalk.

So exactly two blocks from my very home, at the countdown of ten, they burned him right out of town. I didn't have the honor of taking any pictures myself, but here are few taken by others. The ironic part is that only in Guatemala would one think that precisely between two gas stations would be the ideal place to ignite an enormous fire! :)

Merry Christmas All!!