Every 7 December, the streets of Antigua Guatemala are filled with purifying fire in the traditional Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil). This practice, which symbolizes leaving behind all that is negative before the beginning of Advent, lights up squares and neighbourhoods with bonfires and allegorical figures, making way for 8 December, the day of the Immaculate Conception.

In Guatemala City, several deeply rooted and traditional processional rezados take place. Two of the most important are the Rezado of the Immaculate Conception from the Church of San Francisco and the Rezado of the Cathedral. Both are moving stages for diverse cultural and artistic expressions: traditional altar-making, the art of embroidery, fireworks, sones and alabados, among others. These visual and sensory elements turn these classic days in Guatemala into a public feast in which social cohesion and the sense of local belonging are strengthened.

In Pocomchí-origin communities, the ceremonial dance of the burning of the “maus win”, which in the Pocomchí language means “bad man”, is still performed. This staging, laden with ancestral symbolism, expresses the struggle between good and evil, connecting new generations with one of the oldest manifestations of the festive cycle.

Among the best-known and most widespread Christmas traditions is the Carrera or “Corrida” del Niño Dios (Run of the Christ Child), a powerful expression of popular religiosity in which the image of the Child Jesus travels through streets and paths, accompanied by prayers, music, and colourful attire.

It is celebrated in multiple localities across the country, each with its own distinctive style: Santiago Atitlán and Sololá (the departmental capital); Santa María de Jesús, Sacatepéquez; Palín, Escuintla; Patzún, Patzicía, San Juan Comalapa and Santa Cruz Balam Ya’ in Chimaltenango; and Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, where the traditional Danza de Los Negritos is also performed, an expression recognized locally for its historical value.

Each community carries the tradition at its own pace, whether through Maya brotherhoods (cofradías), prayer leaders, masquerades, or ancestral music, turning the carrera into a highly authentic cultural tourism attraction.

The creation of traditional Nativity scenes in homes is a custom passed down from generation to generation and one that gives December its distinctive character in Guatemala. From late November, families begin gathering materials such as moss, dyed sawdust, cypress branches, hand-painted landscapes to use as backdrops, small clay houses, lights, and figures of biblical characters. Each Nativity scene is a creative and unique work: some reproduce Guatemalan rural landscapes, with cellophane-paper rivers and cardboard volcanoes, while others seek historical fidelity to Bethlehem. An indispensable element is the Christ Child, whose image is usually placed in the manger on 24 December, before Christmas Eve dinner or after Midnight Mass. Assembling the Nativity scene not only beautifies the home; it is also a moment of family togetherness, in which children, young people, and adults contribute their enthusiasm and creativity. In many homes it is customary to pray the Novena to give thanks for the year that has passed and to ask for blessings in the new year that is beginning.

These three traditions—the Guadalupan devotion, the posadas, and the Nativity scenes—together form a deeply Guatemalan cultural landscape. Each one, in its own particular expression, helps ensure that the Christmas spirit is experienced in community, with joy and a strong sense of identity. For those visiting Guatemala at this time of year, taking part in or witnessing these practices is a privileged way to experience the living richness of the country’s intangible heritage.

On 28 December, the town of Parramos, in the department of Chimaltenango, celebrates its patronal feast in honor of the Holy Innocents, a festivity that combines Catholic elements with popular practices. The town fills with dances, local cuisine, fireworks, and community activities. For travelers, it is an opportunity to immerse themselves in a festive atmosphere that highlights the region’s spirit of solidarity and joy.

On 6 January, the streets of Salcajá in Quetzaltenango are adorned for the traditional and centuries-old Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men Cavalcade), in which riders dressed in biblical costumes parade through the town on finely decorated horses. It is a unique spectacle that blends theatricality, devotion, and local pride—ideal for those seeking cultural experiences that are little known outside the country.

At the beginning of the year, several traditional rezados that form part of the Christmas cycle mark a sense of spiritual continuity. These are family or community processions in which images of the Christ Child or patron saints are carried through the streets, accompanied by prayers, songs, and firecrackers, as a way of blessing homes and asking for prosperity in the new cycle. At the same time, January is profoundly linked to the devotion to the Christ of Esquipulas, whose main feast is celebrated on 15 January in the Basilica of Esquipulas, Chiquimula.

Thousands of pilgrims from all regions of the country, and even from Central America and Mexico, travel there to venerate the “Black Christ,” known for His miraculous character and for being a symbol of unity and hope. The city fills with processions, festive markets, solemn Masses, and cultural expressions that reflect the strength of this centuries-old devotion, considered one of the most important in the Catholic world in the region.

The festive cycle culminates on 2 February with Candlemas Day, celebrated with special fervor in San Juan Ostuncalco, Quetzaltenango; Chiantla, Huehuetenango; and Guatemala City. On this day, images of the Christ Child are blessed, dances are performed, traditional dishes are enjoyed, and Christmas activities come to a close. Candlemas marks the end of a deeply spiritual and colorful period that brings together communities from all over the country.

The Christmas cycle in Guatemala is a cultural journey through which to experience the country—much more than just a festive season. Amid ancestral dances, traditional foods such as tamales and fruit ponche, processions, devotional runs, and community celebrations, this period invites visitors to discover the cultural richness that sets Guatemala apart within the region.

Those who explore Guatemala between December and February find not only breathtaking landscapes but also unique traditions that have withstood the test of time. A sensory journey through these celebrations is, without a doubt, an opportunity to experience the intangible heritage that makes Guatemala an exceptional destination.

Photographs: Edwin Castro, Alfonso Lacán, and cultural project “El Nacimiento”.