LUMINARIA

A paper lunch bag, some sand, and a tea candle (multiply that by a few hundred) and you have traditional Christmas decorations here in Albuquerque. They are called "Luminaria", and when the city is decorated for Christmas eve with them, it is a sight to behold!! Old town, of course, is fully decorated, and a lot of the neighborhoods also undertake the luminaria tradition. There are bus tours on Christmas eve to see some of the lit up areas, and they sell out almost immediately. Tradition is a big thing here in the Southwest, and I have to say, this is one tradition that is absolutely beautiful!!