The children of the South American country of Guatemala get visits from Santa. On December 25th, the kiddies get presents and candy just like a lot of countries do. For this nation, their Santa isn't very different from ours in the United States. For the children and families of Guatemala, a visit from Santa on December 25th is not such a big deal. Instead, the most important day of their holiday season is December 7th.
Hey, today is December 7th. What are the odds? Why don't we see what's so important about today for the people of Guatemala?
La Quema del Diablo means 'the burning of the devil.' It's an event in preparation for the feast of the Immaculate Conception which starts on December 8th. The idea is to eliminate all the evil and bad luck from your life. So the entire family will spend the day dusting their homes. The refuse is then placed inside a devil shaped pinata.
At 6pm sharp, the pinatas are torched. As the diablos roast, the families enjoy themselves during a night long street festival full of music, fun and games.
The big food for this day is tamales. Tubes of corn meal filled with meat and cheeses, covered in a spicy tomato sauce. Oh my God. I'm making myself hungry. I think I am going to eat some now.
But before I go, here's today's cookie recipe. I present to you Champurradas, Guatemalan Sesame Seed Cookies.
Enjoy.
