Holiday

Guatemalan tradition: Burning the devil before Christmas arrives

Around a half million fires are lit in the capital of Guatemala to ring in the Christmas season.

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Thousands gathered in a colonial city in Guatemala this week for an annual Christmas tradition.

They marked the beginning of the Christmas season by what's called "The Burning of the Devil."

Every year on the night of Dec. 7, Guatemalans build bonfires to burn effigies of the devil. It is a tradition that began with the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.

People also leave household items to be burned in the fires.

Around a half million fires are lit in the capital of Guatemala alone to celebrate.

Recently the government has asked people to cut down on the number of fires due to environmental concerns.

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