Walking through the famous Pinata District in downtown Los Angeles, you can feel the Christmas spirit: music blares from the speakers of the businesses, while the sidewalks are decorated with a colorful stream of glittering pinatas hanging along the street.

For a moment, amid the friendly smiles, enjoying families a The weekend before the big Christmas dinner and festive decorations, things feel normal. But you can't forget how these businesses have suffered after this year's increase in immigration raids. Trying to talk to people, you realize that many are friendly, but cautious. Some prefer not to speak to the media; others say that, because of the raids, they don't have enough staff and have little time to talk, especially now that the posada season is one of their busiest. "To begin with, our products are mostly for our Hispanic community, and they are the ones most affected right now. Because of the raids, our clientele got scared, and sales dropped considerably," said Lino, from Carrusel Party Supplies. “This is one of the most anticipated months for us, and it's when we're eager to make more sales.” Lino and his family have been running their candy, Mexican crafts, religious items, and pinata shop for 25 years, 13 of which they've spent in the Pinata District. He emphasizes that while he's always had bad days and even months, in all the years he's operated his business, he's never seen anything like what's happening now. His business, like others in the area, has been affected since the raids began in June. The first documented raid occurred on June 6, less than a mile from Lino's shop. The operation took place at Ambiance Apparel, and since then, several more have been reported, according to workers we spoke with. “There are countless businesses that have remained closed for months because people simply weren't going out to shop,” Lino commented as he arranged candy in a cardboard box. This past weekend, he and his team were serving people who came looking for pinatas for the famous Mexican posadas. This tradition involves going out at night with family, friends, and neighbors to ask for lodging,representing Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. The annual tradition, celebrated from December 16th to 24th, is filled with music, singing, food, and pinatas. “It's a very beautiful tradition that can be connected to what's happening in the city right now,” said a woman who bought a green and red pinata to take to her neighborhood posada. “Many are seeking refuge right now, and as for the pinata and the posada, apart from what they represent, they also offer a bit of fun.” At Lino's shop, you can find everything: pinatas of the Grinch, who stole Christmas, and the famous seven-pointed pinatas. Tradition says that each pointy cone represents one of the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, lust, gluttony, wrath, greed, and sloth. They all come in different colors; most are made right there in the shop, while others come from Mexico. While Lino serves customers, his son takes down the pinatas for them. They have pinatas of all sizes, and almost everyone who came into the shop left with one in their hand. “I can't say the situation has calmed down, but thank God, for now, because of the posadas, we have seen more people going out,” Lino emphasizes. “We just ask people to keep going out to buy things, if they can.” Other businesses we spoke with in the pinata district preferred not to reveal their names, but commented that sales for places like theirs have dropped by more than 50% since June. “This month has been one of the first in which we've been able to see a slight increase in sales,” said a worker at a candy store who was taking down a Christmas pinata. “Unfortunately, it hasn't been enough to compensate for the loss of sales in recent months, but it gives us hope that things will improve soon.” The impact of the raids isn't only being felt in the city of Los Angeles, but also in other urban areas, such as Santa Ana, where businesses that typically sell sweets and seasonal products for the holidays have seen their sales decline. Although he preferred to remain anonymous, one of the owners of La Central Dulceria said that the raids significantly impacted their business. In the last month alone, rapid response teams in Orange County and the news program LA TACO reported more than 20 people arrested in Santa Ana. 18 of which were verified in a single day.

“We don't just sell Christmas candy and pinatas, we also sell the traditional ones for posadas; in addition, we sell products to several street vendors,” he says. “Since June, several customers haven't returned to buy, or they eat infrequently because maybe they don't go out as often as before.”

His store has been operating in the Santa Ana community for over a decade, and, like Lino, this year they hope that the end-of-year celebrations will generate more business.

“You know that we Latinos are going to find a way to celebrate our traditions,and it shows because people have come to buy their pinatas," said one of the owners, who also didn't want to reveal his name, while showing us the type of pinatas he sells in his store.

Suddenly, the owner says goodbye because he doesn't want to lose the few customers who come to his store. And as Lino, the other pinata owner in Los Angeles, about 30 miles from Santa Ana, said, "We'll still be here ready to serve you and be a part of your celebrations."