Small Guatemalan Worry Dolls

Guatemalan worry dolls, also known as muñecas quitapenas in Spanish, are small, handmade figures that originated from the highland indigenous people of Guatemala. According to Mayan legend, if a person is having trouble sleeping due to worries, they can tell a worry to one doll for each problem they have. The dolls are then placed under the person's pillow. It is believed that the dolls take on the worries during the night, allowing the person to sleep peacefully and wake up refreshed. The tradition suggests that the dolls should be given a day of rest to prevent them from becoming overloaded with worries.