While Christmas Eve in New Mexico doesn’t qualify as everyday magic exactly, it is nonetheless incredibly magical. Entire neighborhoods put out luminarias1 on Christmas Eve. We all walk around smiling, waving, and wishing everyone we see a merry Christmas. Numerous parties, hot chocolate, and mouth-watering New Mexican food are notable features of the evening as well.2
Luminarias are rather labor-intensive. Most folks opt to pay the Albuquerque Youth Symphony by the dozen for pre-made luminarias. That helps, but someone still needs to bend over to light all those dozens of luminarias — unless they’re on the roof. Then someone has to climb a ladder to light them.3
Truthfully, windy or rainy/snowy Christmas Eves aren’t quite as magical. Luminarias burn up or simply go out (over and over) when it’s windy.4 And if it rains or snows, there’s a big soggy mess to clean up on Christmas morning.5
Bad weather aside, good will and peace on earth are real on Christmas Eve, at least in New Mexico. And that’s some powerful magic.
Wishing you and yours a warm and magical Christmas Eve, wherever you happen to be and whatever you happen to be doing.
Luminarias are paper lunch sacks with sand and a votive candle inside. They’re called farolitos north of Albuquerque. (Click here to learn more about the great luminaria vs. farolito debate.)
At least they were, before COVID.
Youth is a tremendous asset when it comes to luminarias.
Which means someone has to bend over and re-light them, over and over.
Sadly, the forecast is for both wind and rain in Albuquerque tonight.
Merry Christmas!
A very magical and perfect choice of photos for this magical day. MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HANUKKAH! HAPPY KWANZA! FELIZ NAVIDAD! to all.