Too Excited not to share - Luminaria!

Traditional Christmas Eve luminarias are made from brown paper bags weighted down with sand and illuminated from within by a lit candle. These are typically arranged in rows to create large and elaborate displays. The hope among Roman Catholics is that the lights will guide the spirit of the Christ child to one's home.

Santa Fe and Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico, are well known for their impressive Christmas Eve luminaria displays

Here is the 'history of Luminarias - this was taken off of the web...

THE HISTORY OF LUMINARIAS
Although many people associate “luminarias” with the holiday lighting of candles placed in small, brown, sand-filled bags, luminarias first appear historically around the 16th century, as a Spanish tradition of lighting bonfires along the roads and churchyards to guide people to Midnight Mass on the final night of Las Posadas.

The night of Las Posadas (Spanish word meaning lodging or inn) is a festive celebration that was first introduced to the indigenous people of Mexico by European missionaries, and is a reenactment of the story of Mary and Joseph's search for lodging in Bethlehem. The tradition continued into modern times—with the decoration of rooftops, walls, sidewalks and driveways of individual homes—as a way of guiding travelers to their destination.

The candlelit brown paper bags are also called "farolitos," the Spanish word for little lanterns. In the early 19th century, U.S. settlers on the Santa Fe trail brought Chinese paper lanterns to hang from their portals and light their entranceways. They were beautiful but expensive, and eventually, the paper bag version became the tradition.

Today, luminarias and farolitos have become an American holiday tradition and a southwestern tradition of welcome. As well as the traditional paper bags with candles, modern day versions also include the electric luminarias or farolitos.

Some people in the Southwest call the paper bag lanterns luminarias, while others insist the correct term is farolitos since "luminarias" were the bonfires lining the roads. Whatever you choose to call them, honor the history of luminarias by setting some out this Christmas and adding a new tradition to your holidays regardless of where you live.


This is a picture in Old Town.

This is the Old Town Gazebo, I did see it, but don't think I took a picture.  

This is an adobe home, flat roof - doesn't it look spectacular with the luminaria?

This is San Felipe Church - we took a picture of this when we visited Old Town.

Here is another picture of San Felipe Church.

I'll share pictures of our Christmas Eve lighting of our luminaria, but wanted you all to see these pictures before you go on break!