Santa Fe New Mexico is definitely a one-of-a-kind place. Although part of the States, it boasts a culture all its own, especially at the holidays. After all, it is called "The City Different."  Now that you are thinking about moving to Santa Fe (or maybe you already live here and you are just following this Santa Fe Realtor for the fun of learning what's going on around town), you are going to have to become acclimated to the Holiday traditions in the Land of Enchantment…

Candles in Bags: Also known as "Farolitos."  Fill small bags with sand and light them with votive candles and voila! You have a Farolito. This is New Mexico's version of the traditional Christmas decoration. You will find them sprinkled throughout Santa Fe, around buildings, in trees, on walls, and along sidewalks.

Winter Spanish Market: The Spanish Colonial Arts Society's annual winter market held in early December is an extravagant display of traditional Spanish Colonial artwork such as tin work, furniture, straw applique and Santos carving. Doing your holiday shopping here is sure to get you a one-of-a-kind, only-in-santa-fe, gift from the heart.

Christmas Eve, Noche Buena service: The midnight mass of the Rooster commemorates the folk story of the animals in the manger which were upset that no humans had come to see the Christ child. The story goes that an old rooster flew to a high point and announced the coming of the Messiah.

Christmas Eve at the Santa Fe Plaza: Adorned with thousands of farolitos (see above) that light up the city center, the Plaza is definitely the place to be on Christmas Eve. Apple cider is served while carolers fill the air with holiday music and the Santa Fe community strolls through to the nearby Cross of the Martyrs - also outlined in farolitos.

The Weather: Temperatures in December are normally in the low 40's during the day and the low 20's during the evening. However, don't shutter too much. With the sun still shining an average of 300 days a year, it never feels as bad as it sounds. In fact, it doesn't stop golfers from golfing and residents from hiking.

Skiing: The Sangre de Cristos Mountains, where Santa Fe sits at the base of, are covered in snow. Sixteen miles from the Plaza is the Santa Fe ski area (also known as Ski Santa Fe). This is the popular place to be around this time of the year. With 3,000 feet of height, 225 inches of snow, and a festive atmosphere, you can see why.

Native American Dances: See my previous blog to learn all about the Winter Dances of the Indian Pueblos.

Feast: Take a wild guess at the most popular ingredient in our Holiday dishes? That's right - Chile!  The traditional Christmas Eve meal is posole - dried corn fixed in a thick soup or stew with chiles. Other popular dishes include tamales, blue corn tortillas, and bizcochitos (tiny anise Christmas cookies that are the official state cookie of New Mexico).

Take all of this together and you get a city filled with sunny days, warm glowing lighting at night, culture and tradition, amazing food, fun things to do, and an overall festive atmosphere. What do you think? Do you think you could spend your holidays - and the rest of the year - in Santa Fe New Mexico Real Estate? If the answer is yes, then give us a call. We would be happy to find you the Santa Fe home of your dreams and make you an official Santa Fe resident. Before you know it, you could be enjoying all of these Christmas traditions in Santa Fe by next year!

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

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