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$19.99 U.S. in S anta Fe Christmas in Santa Fe Susan Topp Weber

Christmas in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico is full of enchantment: farolitos line buildings and walks, pueblos are filled with the sounds and sights of tradi- tional dances, adobe churches like the Santuario de Chimayo are cloaked in snow and glowing , and crowds gather to watch the Spanish plays on the Plaza. Christmas in this historic region is a rich cultural feast of Spanish, Anglo, and Native American tradi- tions. Christmas in Santa Fe captures and preserves those traditions through intriguing stories and beau- Susan Topp Weber has owned and operated Susan’s tiful photos. Santa Fe native Susan Topp Weber chron- Christmas Shop, on the Plaza in Santa Fe, for more icles the best of what the region has to offer, guiding than thirty years. She lectures on New Mexico’s Christ- readers to the magic of Santa Fe and northern New Christmas in Santa Fe Mexico’s season. mas traditions for Elderhostels held in Santa Fe and the Pueblos each December.

In 1992, I spent an entire Christmas season in Santa Fe. That Christmas sojourn was so perfect that I’ve always hesitated to try to repeat it. I would rather keep the magic intact in my memory than run the risk of being disappointed if a second time didn’t stand up to the first. That is, until now. Susan’s Weber book has made me realize that I’ve missed some truly exciting treats. —Tomie d e Paola

Holiday/Regional Jacket Photographs: Front cover, front flap, and back flap © 2010 Josef Tornick 81⁄2 x 81⁄2 inches Back cover © 2010 Efrain M. Padro Hardcover Jacket design by Debra McQuiston 96 Pages 100 Color Photographs Susan Topp Weber with Foreword by Tomie dePaola Cco n t e n t s 9 Foreword 11 Introduction

15 Christmas Past 15 Christmas in New Mexico’s Colonial Days 16 Christmas in Nineteenth-Century Santa Fe 18 Christmas in Twentieth-Century Santa Fe

21 21 , Farolitos, and Flying Farolitos 27 The Spanish Christmas Plays of New Mexico 33 Biscochitos, New Mexico’s State Cookie

35 Christmas Events 35 Thanksgiving Weekend 38 The Shed and Susan’s Christmas Shop 43 La Fonda at Christmas 46 St. Nicholas Bazaar 48 The Christmas Concerts 57 December 11 and 12, Guadalupe Day 58 Christmas at the Palace 59 on the Plaza 62 Gustave Baumann’s Marionettes 63 The Christmas Trains of Santa Fe 67 Nacimientos (Nativities) 70 , La Noche Buena 77 New Year’s Eve in Santa Fe and New Year’s Day

79 Christmas Out Of Town 79 Matachines Dances on Guadalupe Day at Jemez Pueblo 83 The High Road to Taos 87 The Pueblos at Christmas

94 Glossary 94 Suggested Reading 95 Resources 96 Christmas Calendar CCh r i s t m a s Tr a d i t i o n s

Luminarias, Farolitos, and Flying Farolitos 3 Santa Fe is famous for its distinctive Christmas lights, especially those seen along Canyon Road on Christmas Eve. In centuries past, long before paper bags were commonly available, bonfires (called luminarias in northern New Mexico Spanish) lit the way for the Santo Niño, the Christ Child, on Christmas Eve. They are care- fully laid with pieces of split piñon or cedar wood, forming a square stack with lots of air between the uniformly sized kindling. Luminarias make a warm fire, but they are smoky and need to be fed more fuel to stay lit. On Canyon Road on Christmas Eve, luminarias are still lit today, attracting pedestrians who stop to warm up and sing Christmas carols around the fire. Sometimes three luminarias are built to symbolize the Holy Trinity or the Three Kings (the three Wise Men), and several Santa Fe residences still keep up this tradition. One Santa Fe family had a son in the U.S. Navy when Pearl Harbor was bombed. The son was not very good at keeping in touch with his family, and they feared the worst, even though his duty as a trumpet player made it highly unlikely that he was in danger. They prayed for their son’s safe return and made a vow to three luminarias on Christmas Eve. No sooner had they done so than the son walked through the front . They later learned that he was not in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked but was in a bar in Tijuana with a friend instead! Matachines dancers at Jemez Pueblo. Photo by Ann Murdy.

The Pueblos at Christmas costumes and its beautiful animal dances. Tesuque Visiting Tesuque Christmas just isn’t complete without visits to the Pueblo features dances on Christmas Day and the Pueblo pueblos to watch dances and see friends. There day after. Most likely an animal dance will be per- Drive seven and a half are so many choices that the most difficult aspect formed, and seeing a Tesuque animal dance is highly miles north on NM is choosing which pueblo to visit and when to recommended. Tesuque Pueblo also dances on New 84/285. Turn south go. The following are the pueblos most likely to Year’s Day and January 6, Kings’ Day. The dances at mile marker 173.5 onto Tribal Road 806. have Christmas dances. Many of these pueblos are on those days can also be animal dances. After crossing Tesuque within an hour’s drive of Santa Fe. Creek, turn right. You Ohkay Owingeh will soon see the vil- Pueblos North of Santa Fe Ohkay Owingeh is located about twenty-six miles lage plaza and church. Tesuque Pueblo north of Santa Fe. This pueblo was assigned the Call (505) 867-3304 Tesuque Pueblo is the closest pueblo to Santa Fe. It patron saint of San Juan when the Spanish first for more information. is not the same as the Tesuque Village just north of encountered the village over four hundred years Santa Fe. Since Tesuque Pueblo is so close to Santa ago; so, historically the village was known as San Fe, it has long been a favorite pueblo for watch- Juan Pueblo. ing dances. It is known for its fine embroidered

4 Christmas out of town