There are many holiday traditions in New Mexico. One of my favorites is the farolito walk on Christmas Eve in Santa Fe. The Canyon Road art galleries are transformed with farolitos, lights, and decorations. The breeze carries the smell of piñón wood bonfires and fireplaces and the sound of carols from groups large and small.
What the heck is a farolito you ask? Basically, they’re candles in bags. Traditionally, they are small, lunch-sized, paper bags with a layer of sand lit by votive candles. Modern versions are plastic with electric lights. They light walkways, walls, rooftops, etc. In Albuquerque, we usually call them luminarias, but luminarias are small bonfires. Luminarias are said to have lit the way for the Three Wise Men as they sought the baby Jesus. Either way, farolitos or luminarias are traditional holiday decorations in New Mexico.
