Lighting the Holidays

Fa•ro•li•tos ?

Lu•mi•na•ri• as

There are several debates that are surely unique to New Mexico: red or green; Lobos or Aggies; and, at this time of year, farolitos or luminarias. While some may use the terms interchangeably, Taoseños will tell you they are distinctly different forms of holiday lighting. As to the others, that is entirely a personal preference.

Lightiug the Holidays

By Dena Miller

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Lighting the Holidays

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quí en Taos, the term “farolito” is the preferred reference to small paper bags filled with sand and containing a small votive or tea light candle. The warm and flickering incandescence they invoke — though adopted now by other communities across the U.S. — is truly one of New Mexico’s most magical holiday traditions, steeped in history and culture. That history is equally intriguing, beginning almost five centuries ago when Spain colonized the Philippine Islands. The Filipinos, as was true with most Asians of the time, used paper lanterns to illuminate sacred ceremonies, and the Spaniards traveled with this tradition through South America, Mexico and, finally, into the territory that would ultimately become New Mexico. The only problem here was the harsh outdoor conditions that rendered the use of delicate paper impossible. Instead, inspired by the explorer Gaspar Costaño de Sosa, the Spaniards built diminutive bonfires meant to symbolically guide the spirits of the Holy Family along the paths towards houses of worship. And so the naming confusion began. Some called them luminarias: Spanish for light; other said “farolitos,” derived from the word “farol,” or lantern, in Spanish. Things got interesting when the flat-bottomed paper bag was patented in 1872 and became a natural substitute for paper lanterns: readily filled with sand to anchor them to the ground and to hold a small candle. Lanterns. Farols. At least that made sense in Santa Fe and northward. South of Santa Fe, it seems that the name “luminaria” continued to reign supreme. According to the late Fray Angélico Chávez — the New Mexican Franciscan priest, activist, author and artist — the debate could be summarized in one word: “Whatever.” There is a truly special magic that happens in Northern New Mexico in December and, whether you claim generations of familial ties or are new to the region, you are never immune to the wonders of December. When the sun sets early and homes and businesses are lit with strands of colorful bulbs, appreciate the many farolitos that also light our roof tops and walkways. Then, debate which team to root for, or which chile will dress your enchiladas. Above all else, have a holiday blessed with love.