Panajachel Before Christmas

I went for a walk to the market yesterday to see what's going on around town as people get ready for Christmas. Of course, the fireworks stalls are all set up, and the market lane is full of vendors, like it is on Sundays, only more so!

Christmas piñatas!

Fireworks stalls lining the road to the market.

There is an incredible array of fireworks of different shapes and sizes.
We're still debating whether or not to buy some this year. :)

I purposefully went to the market to buy some Xmas treats to help us get in the holiday spirit. I wanted to pick out something that seemed to be universal to the season here in Guatemala, like something that everyone seemed to be buying that perhaps wouldn't be something we'd eat back home. I discovered almost very stall was selling boxes of cookies and, strangely enough, I saw a lot of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Guatemalans also have an obsession with marshmallows, and at Xmas they're covered in chocolate. YUM!

I bought a small box of cookies. :D  It cost Q30, or $5.41 Canadian.

The cookies were pretty good but nothing special. Perhaps a bit better and richer than the cookies you buy in the grocery store here. Nothing like the delectable treats from back home. Oh well.
I had fun with the little letter cookies though. :)

These are actually really good! We've eaten them all. Might have to get more for Xmas morning.
Q20 or $3.60 for 50 hearts. The box contained 10 plastic sleeves with 5 hearts in each.

I took a video as I walked down the market lane. This is usually a road but they close it to traffic during special times, plus every Sunday. You'll notice in the video there is a LOT of fruit, even more so than usual. That's cuz they make a traditional hot spiced fruit punch at Christmas. Here's a blog with a recipe if you'd like to try it. It's quite good! Bit weird to have hot fruit but the spices make it kinda like apple cider. You can also see the big silver pots they cook it in. There were piles of clothes and toys, both new and used.
Sorry if the video's a bit blurry and bumpy. I was walking uphill on a cobblestone road while dodging people!

Two day til Christmas! Are you ready?