I was fortunate to spend half my life in a different country and experience Christmas in the Caribbean (more on that in another post). I am lucky enough to have lived and experienced Christmas in two other states before settling in Albuquerque.
I have to say that Christmas in Albuquerque is a unique experience. First of all, if you know anything about New Mexico you know that Chili is our state crop. The chilis grown here are not grown in any other part of the world.
At the start of the holiday season, the distinctive smell of roasted chili fills the air. It is not unusual to see huge roasting barrels filled with Chili churning over a fire releasing its fragrance into the air. That is the smell I associate with Christmas in New Mexico.
Chili wreaths pop up everywhere and biscochitos seem to taste better at this time of the year. I get really excited when the luminaria displays come out.
There are several things to do around this time of year, from the Twinkle Lights Parade which I went to during my first Christmas in Albuquerque to the Old Town Shop and Stroll, River of Lights, and my personal favorite Old Town Luminaria tour.
I don’t know how to describe the feeling, it’s like a peaceful excitement. New Mexico aka The Land of Enchantment is so grounded in tradition and family that you can feel it mostly during the holidays. It’s just magical. I wish my dad were alive to experience it, Christmas was his favorite time and he would have loved it.
Here are some of my personal photos from when I first got to Albuquerque 15+ years ago. They are kind of crappy because I had a crappy phone.
Top left: Fellas in Santa hats getting ready to play Christmas carols | This is what a Luminaria looks like from the top. It’s a brown paper bag filled halfway with sand and a tea candle in the middle | A mariachi band serenades the crowd | Then Santa Claus on a throne in the gazebo.
