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Worry Dolls: Guatemala’s Most Thoughtful Handicraft

This article talks about worry dolls, specifically their origin, production, use, and benefits. By the time you finish reading this, you will know how they help you release your stress and where you can order your worry dolls in wholesale.


3 handmade worry dolls up close
photo credit: @fromthemayan

We all need someone whom we can confide our stories with, may they be joyful narratives or painful ones. Since we as human beings are social beings, we long for interaction with and support from other people, especially from our family and friends. It is also healthy for us to release our worries to friends who we trust instead of bottling them all up to ourselves, which may lead to serious mental health issues. The use of social media may help us connect with our closest friends and get the support that we need, but a 2019 study reports that there are several mental health problems that may arise from its excessive use, including depression and anxiety. If you find yourself with no one to share your worries with, well, don’t worry. What you can do is to get yourself a worry doll.


The Origin of Worry Dolls


Guatemala, the centermost country in the Americas, boasts its rich culture and history to the world. From its combination of Mayan and Spanish influences to its natural treasures, it is a land full of amazement and adventure. The Mayans who reside in the rural highlands of the country impart the wonders of their culture through their handicrafts that can be bought by tourists as souvenirs; from a variety of crafts like baskets, woods, and textiles, they also produce worry dolls.


Worry dolls have their origins in Guatemala, and it is a traditional handicraft primarily for children. These dolls are small, usually ranging from half an inch to two inches. The production of worry dolls is usually done in the highlands, which explains the colorful clothing of the dolls. The textiles woven by the Mayans in rural areas to create their daily clothes are the same textiles that the dolls are clothed with. Other materials commonly needed to produce worry dolls are cotton or sponge, which is used for the head, and thin wires or woods, which are used for the hands and feet. Worry dolls can be sold individually, but it can also be sold in sets (probably because the Mayans know that people have a lot to worry about).


Mother and daughter walking home in Mayan highlands
photo credit: @fromthemayan

What are Worry Dolls For?


The production of worry dolls has been passed from on Mayan generation to the next to help you sleep peacefully. This works with you telling your dolls the matters that worry you (one worry for each doll), tuck them under your pillow, and go to sleep. The magic happens while you sleep, when the worry dolls take care of the worrying for you to sleep soundly. In the morning, you will wake up feeling refreshed because your worry dolls took away your worries at night. You, however, should take care of them in the morning for them to rest from all the worrying they did during the night. As the worry dolls take care of your worries, so should you take care of your worry dolls. With this relationship, children and adults may form a special bond with their worry dolls, treating them as their closest friends who listen to their stories and secrets.


Advantages of Owning a Worry Doll


We all need our good night’s sleep. Mental Health Foundation’s report on the importance of sleep states that, like eating, drinking, breathing, it helps us function and makes us carry out our daily tasks properly, and lack of sleep will take a toll on our physical and mental health. A 2012 study shows that minor or major stress can cause lack of sleep or insomnia and other health-related concerns.


Owning worry dolls will lead to some benefits which include security, knowing that you can share your worries to someone (or something) who you know listens; comfort in releasing your worries instead of keeping them to yourself; and peace of mind for a satisfying sleep during the night, lessening the chances of having insomnia. All these benefits will help reduce abnormal sleeping patterns or other sleeping problems caused by stress. By owning worry dolls, you will be able to release your worries, which helps you relieve yourself from anxiety and disturbing thoughts that may affect your overall health in the long run.


Where to Get Them


If you want worry dolls made from their country of origin for its essence of authenticity, or if you want to share a worry-free life with the use of tiny friends, it is best to import them from Guatemala, the country that is well-known for the production of worry dolls.


FromTheMayan was established in 1986 and has been manufacturing high quality handicrafts made by the Mayans residing in the highlands of Guatemala. The company is proud to offer the production of worry dolls that can be customized as you wish.


3 custom made handicrafts from Guatemala
photo credit: @fromthemayan

The Comfort of Having a Friend


More than the colorful culture of Guatemala are their lively handicrafts that are not only useful for everyday life but also helpful in coping with personal problems. Worry dolls can be your friends, and you may never have to feel alone again. It is also always good for everyone to share the comfort of having worry dolls to someone who needs a friend in times of need.


We hope this article informed you about the origin of worry dolls, their production and where they are manufactured, and most importantly how they can serve your customers in this digital and modern world we live in today. If you have any questions about ordering worry dolls wholesale or any other Mayan handicrafts, you can contact us directly through our website.



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