Vispera De Año Nuevo (New Year’s Eve)
New Year's Eve is another famous Guatemalan festivals. People put on new garments in the hopes of gaining wealth and success. Parties go on all night, impromptu dances break out, and music fills the air. Fireworks are necessary and should be used liberally.
The toritos, guys dressed in cages of ametralladora de cohete (bottle rockets/firecrackers), charge the people while dancing and setting off their ordinance is one of the most bizarre rituals.
While it is an official holiday in Guatemala, New Year's Day is a calm day when people recover after the festivities of New Year's Eve / Ao Nuevo. Many people visit beaches on the Pacific Coast, such as the black sands of Monterrico, or the country's balnearios, natural bathing pools made from clear mountain streams, such as Balneario Pasabien in Zacapa.
New Year's Day is also a great time to indulge in popular meals and beverages in order to avoid la goma or hangovers. Guatemalan ceviche de camaron (shrimp ceviche) and caldo de pollo (chicken soup) are popular delicacies to seek out as natural treatments for recovering from New Year's Eve revelry.
Date: December 31st
