Christmas traditions in New Mexico are influenced bySpanish,Native American, andAnglo-American traditions.
Common decorations includefarolitos, small paper bags filled with sand that hold a candle inside. They are commonly placed along paths, on top of roofs, and on porches. These are believed to have been brought to New Mexico bySpanish traders in thePhilippines who sawChinesepaper lanterns and brought them back toNew Spain.[1] These sand bags containing small candles are also often also called luminarias.[2] The words farolito and luminaria are synonymous today, but traditionally luminarias are wood fires while farolitos are lit bags commonly seen in New Mexico at Christmas time.[3] Faralitos have come to represent the winter season, kept promises, and Christmas spirit.Christmas trees andwreaths, made from local pine trees, were brought to New Mexico byGerman immigrants andGerman-Americans from theMidwest.Chiles red and green in color often hang from rooftops over porches.[citation needed]Luminarias are large bonfires made ofpinyon logs.
Native Americans of New Mexico often partake inmatachines dances around Christmas time. These dances combine elements of the Spanish El Moros y los Cristianos dances, traditional Native American rituals, and Mexican indigenous ritual dances. TheProcession of our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated by Hispanos and Mexican-Americans.Las Posadas is a celebration in which revelers, dressed as Mary and Joseph and Hebrew people, go from house to house asking for shelter to reenact theNativity.[4]
