Worry doll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Worry dolls (Spanish: Muñecas quitapenas, "Dolls [that] remove worries")[1], or trouble dolls, are very small and colorful dolls traditionally made in Guatemala.[2] A person (usually a child) who cannot sleep due to worrying can express their worries to a doll and place it under their pillow before going to sleep. Some medical centers use them in conjunction with treatment for disease in children.[3]
According to folklore, the doll is thought to worry in the person's place, thereby permitting the person to sleep peacefully. The person will wake up without their worries, which have been taken away by the dolls during the night. Parents may remove the doll during the night, reinforcing the child's belief that the worry is gone.[4] Some parents involve the child in making the dolls to further increase the psychological benefits of releasing worries, and instructions may be found online.
Because they are inexpensive and small to transport, many tourists buy the dolls.[5] Many are also sold online, and some office workers in the United States put them on their desks or computer monitors.
