How our partner cooperatives are celebrating the holidays
The spirit of the holidays can be felt throughout the community of San Miguel Escobar as we eagerly await celebrations, customs, and coming together. In preparation of the holidays, we asked second generation coffee producers in San Miguel Escobar what they look forward to the most this time of year.
“My favorite Christmas custom is sharing with all my family as we decorate the house….taking out the wreaths, the lights, the tree, and making cards,” says Julia, a member of the Young Entrepreneurs of San Miguel Escobar. She extends the spirit of the holidays to those who purchase her coffee, saying: “I wish you all happy holidays, which I hope you’re spending surrounded by family. God bless all of you and we’re waiting for you here!”
Luis Fernando and Karen, also members of the Young Entrepreneurs of San Miguel Escobar both said they most look forward to participating in a “posada,” which translates to “inn.” However, in this context, Luis Fernando and Karen are referring to the traditional reenactments of the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a “posada,” or an inn, where Mary could give birth to baby Jesus, according to the New Testament of the Bible. For this Christmas time celebration, community members gather together in the town center to symbolically make the same journey, walking through town and knocking on doors asking for room in the inn. There is always one designated house, or “posada” that invites the posada participants into their home, welcoming them with food and a place to rest. Luis Fernando adds: “my favorite Christmas tradition is the traditional “posada” that we celebrate in our town, but mostly because of the food they serve after!” Posadas usually end with a traditional Guatemalan Christmas-time meal which includes tamales, bread, and drinking ponche.
In speaking with Estela, member and leader of La Familia Collective, she says one of her favorite parts of the holidays is making traditional food. In her family, they make hundreds of tamales, which her family does together on December 24th. Tamales are typically made from pork or chicken and glazed over with a savory tomato-based sauce. This meat and tomato combination is then garnished with olives, sweet peppers, and sometimes figs. This mixture is then stuffed inside a corn-based dough, wrapped in a maxan or banana leaf, and steamed to perfection!
After preparing the tamales, “normally on the 24th at midnight we all come together, and it’s a moment to share together as a family,” explains Estela. “Then the two oldest in the family, who are the pillars of the family, [will] lead us in a prayer, asking for blessings for our family and giving thanks for being able to come together and for everything that was provided for us during the year.” Then they all celebrate with the much anticipated dinner of tamales.
Luis, a member of the Young Entrepreneurs of San Miguel Escobar mirrors Estela’s excitement for the night of December 24th saying, “my favorite part about Christmas is when I spend time with my family. [On Christmas Eve] we stay awake until midnight and we have fireworks, a special dinner, and we spend time together.” In fact, Guatemalans usually await the 12:00 am Christmas Eve fireworks before indulging in their tamales. The entire evening of the 24th, there is a palpable build-up and excitement for midnight. And if you just so happened to fall asleep before, the fireworks serve as an alarm for the tamales so many look forward to!
Whether celebrating traditions from your culture or another, we hope you’re spending the holidays surrounded by those who are dear to you!