Residents on Ridgecrest Drive in Southeast Albuquerque lined sidewalks and curbs with luminarias on Thursday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)
Christine Jaramillo, left, and her 7-year-old granddaughter Kaytline Jaramillo decorate the grave site of her mother Adelita Duarte at the San Jose de Armijo Cemetery in the South Valley on Thursday. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)
Lourdes "Luli" Martinez sets up luminarias along the walk leading to her home in the country club area Thursday. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)
Lourdes "Luli" Martinez carries luminarias to the sidewalk as her father Kevin Martinez fills them up with sand for a display in the country club area. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)
Shanon Lopez and her daughter Cate help her son Michael whose scout troop is setting up 900 dozen luminarias in the country club area. (Jim Thompson/Albuquerque Journal)
Hundreds stopped by to photograph and enjoy the Christmas Eve luminaria display in front of the San Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town on Thursday. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)
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Coronavirus cancellations have been too many to count, including “official” luminaria tours, but COVID-19 didn’t keep locals from their annual joy of gathering sand, candles and paper bags and taking part in this centuries-old and distinctly New Mexican tradition.
Here are just some of the thousands of displays that dotted Albuquerque, lighting up the night on Christmas Eve. Luminarias, which can be traced back hundreds of years, celebrate the arrival of the Christ child.
