Christmas in San Se

Once the fireworks began, Christmas had officially arrived; friends and family hugged and we got to eat our tamales. This was the very ambiguous sign for which I waited and anticipated the whole week before Christmas. As far as Christmas celebrations go, I can’t say that it was like anything I’ve experienced in the past, but the anticipation and the waiting and the quiet, followed by a fury of crackling in the streets and cheering from houses in the small pueblo of San Sebastián, led to a very rich experience to remember – one of the capstones to my first year in Peace Corps.

In years past, I’ve become accustomed to a church service in the early evening or late night, depending on the year. Relatives came to my family’s house, or we went to their houses. We would eat a big dinner. And often times, late at night, before we would go to bed, we would open gifts and prepare for more celebrating the next day.

Planted in my small town in Huehuetenango, I waited with the other Guatemalans who treated every hour until midnight much like any other day, completing various tasks or spending time with friends in nearby houses. But once 11:30 came around, we gathered and watched the clock, more than ready to eat and rejoice in the fact that Christmas had arrived.

I spent a couple hours with one family, waiting, watching the fireworks fill the sky, and devouring tamales in the half-coma that sets in when I wait to eat dinner after midnight. Later, I greeted my own Guatemalan family, the ones with whom I’ve lived during my months in-site, and gave the gifts my parents sent to share in the celebration from miles away. I ate four tamales and we went to bed around 2:30AM.

Christmas Day was rather tranquil, as we woke up late and lounged around, I played games with the kids, and we ate another meal. I’ve intercepted and adopted an entire family.

Oh, and the fireworks: if I ever had to describe my imagery of the Apocalypse, I’d likely describe Christmas Eve in Guatemala. Firecrackers burned in the streets and soaring explosives launched from house patios. Sometimes, in chaos, there is reason to celebrate.


Friends from town and me - just after midnight on Christmas.