With traditions like farolitos, Las Posadas, biscochitos, and tamales smothered in red chile, Christmas-lovers need to add a visit to these one-of-a-kind holiday experiences found in Santa Fe, NM, to their holiday travel list.
Santa Fe celebrates the holiday season like no other city in the world. The city's storied history of bringing together local culture, Spanish Colonial heritage, and the Old West pioneer spirit makes for a deeply rich yuletide celebration. For those lucky to have a white Christmas in Santa Fe, the iconic adobe buildings take on the appearance of life-size gingerbread houses with a layer of snow "frosting" the roofs and ledges. In December, the Christmas spirit is everywhere from the snow-topped mountains and slopes of Ski Santa Fe to the unbelievable hot chocolate in the shops along The Chocolate Trail. Santa Fe, which means "Holy Faith," welcomes visitors of all faiths to celebrate the season with a cornucopia of unique traditions and celebrations of food, song, dance, and graceful light displays from the city's centuries of warm community spirit, diverse history, and culture.
The historic plaza is decked with lights beginning at the tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 24. Rooflines and fences of many adobe buildings around the city will be lined with "farolitos" (paper sacks filled with sand and a small votive candle — called "luminarias" in other parts of the Southwest but not in Santa Fe). One of the most popular holiday events in Santa Fe is the Christmas Eve Farolito Walk on Canyon Road, where thousands of people walk this famous road decorated with hundreds of farolitos and sounds of caroling fill the air.
