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Enchanted illumination: Farolitos and luminarias light up New Mexico on Christmas Eve
Depending on where you’re from around New Mexico, the luminaria/farolito debate can get intense.
In northern New Mexico, the preferred term for a votive candle inside a brown paper bag is farolito.
Travel down south to Albuquerque and below — it’s called a luminaria.
According to the New Mexico State History Museum, it dates back to 1590.
Enchanted illumination: Farolitos and luminarias light up New Mexico on Christmas Eve
This is when Spanish explorer Gaspar Castaño de Sosa in his Dec. 3, 1950, journal entry mentioned the small bonfires his cohorts had lit to guide a scout back to camp.
“Luminarias, he called them, thereby casting the first stone in a 400-year-old, northern-versus-southern New Mexico debate over the little paper bags that light up our holiday nights,” according to officials at the museum.
Before the 1872 invention of flat-bottom paper bags, before the ready availability of votive candles, and before electricity and strings of “icicle lights,” New Mexicans marked the paths to their doors and the local church with small, Sosa-style bonfires on Christmas Eve — symbolically lighting the way for the Holy Family, according to museum archives.
The tradition continues today throughout New Mexico. As the night temperatures remain cold, there are plenty of Christmas Eve traditions going strong – adding warmth to the holiday season.
Here are a few that will light up the holiday season.
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ALBUQUERQUE
During its 59 years, ABQ Ride’s Luminaria Tour has become a tradition for a lucky group of people on Christmas Eve.
Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive 20 minutes before their scheduled departure, according to an ABQ Ride news release.
Tour times are scheduled for 5:30 p.m., 5:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
Bathrooms are available at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Drinks with lids will be allowed on the buses, but food and open liquid containers are prohibited.
Free parking will also be available for disabled and special-needs individuals in the parking lot at the northwest corner of Third Street and Marquette Avenue NW, according to the news release.
Parking underneath Civic Plaza is also free.
The major areas of the Luminaria Tour are: Old Town, the Albuquerque Country Club and Huning Castle neighborhoods. The tour lasts about 45 minutes.
The tickets went on sale the day after Thanksgiving and sold out within minutes. Though, visitors can make a trip on their own by following the map that goes through Old Town and the Albuquerque Country Club area. A map can be viewed at luminariatour.com.
MESILLA
Every year, on the eve before Christmas, thousands of luminarias line the streets of Mesilla, while on the Plaza, carolers sing, vigils are held and hot chocolate and cookies are consumed.
The Town of Mesilla will once again host its annual Christmas Eve on the Plaza from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24.
In keeping with the seasonal cheer, local musical groups lead the crowd in singing old familiar carols around the gaily decked Christmas tree. Performances are also given by local choir groups from Mesilla Elementary, Action Academy, Zia Middle School and Mayfield High School.
While the plaza is filled with song, the Mesilla Fire Department holds its annual candlelight vigil, to honor fallen service members.
“Christmas Eve is such a special time here in the Town of Mesilla,” said former Mesilla Mayor Nora Barraza. “Seeing the look of wonder on the faces of visitors, as they join local residents and the local choir singing Christmas carols, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and cookies. The genuine, heartfelt warmth of our surroundings with the laughter of children in the background and family pictures taken in front of the Christmas tree in the middle of the plaza and of everyone getting together celebrating the birth of the Christ child makes such a heartening, magical moment.”
This tradition dates back to the mid-’60s, when Josefina Gamboa Biel Emerson began setting out luminarias to guide her guests to her home near the Basilica, where she would entertain with food and drink.
In time, the display grew, with Boy Scouts helping place the lights and local merchants donating to the candle funds.
Today, students and families pitch in to fill paper bags with sand and votives, distribute them throughout the town and along Avenida de Mesilla, then light them in unison just before dusk.
SANTA FE
During the holiday season, Canyon Road is lit up by thousands of farolitos, which has become a beloved holiday tradition.
On Tuesday, Dec. 24, the annual Canyon Road Farolito Walk will take place.
The Farolito Walk is free and open to everyone. No reservations or tickets are needed.
The walk, which starts on Christmas Eve at dusk, draws thousands of people each year.
Officials advise to be prepared for crowds and a slow moving pace. To avoid the rush, consider coming later in the evening, around 8 p.m., though the event begins at sundown.
Strollers are very difficult to maneuver along the cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks, in addition to blocking pedestrian paths and causing traffic jams. Visit farolitowalk.com for more information.
TAOS
A trip to Taos Pueblo is always special. Now imagine hundreds of farolitos on the pueblo during the Christmas Eve Procession at Taos Pueblo.
According to organizers, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, the Procession of the Virgin Mary will begin at 5 p.m.
The procession proceeds after Mass with the burning of the bonfires, which lasts two hours or so.
Parking is limited, so showing up early is ideal, according to officials. Please keep in mind, there is no guaranteed handicap parking. Visitors are also reminded to dress warm.
On Wednesday, Dec. 25, the pueblo will host Deer and Matachina dances. The Deer Dance will begin at 1 p.m. lasting all afternoon. Matachina Dance will start at 11 a.m. lasting all day. Check the pueblo’s website for more information about the dance performances. There is free admission to the dances.
For details, visit taospueblo.com.
