Among the many gifts our country has received from Mexico is the luminaria, which some of us put outside our homes on Christmas Eve. This gift originated back when Mexico was called New Spain and still included Texas.
I first learned about the custom in upstate New York years ago when, exhausted from wrapping presents, I took a walk around the neighborhood in the snowy darkness. “What’s that?” I wondered at one neighbor’s house. “How lovely!”
Since that year, I have put candles out every Christmas Eve in rain or snow, fair weather or foul. Sometimes the candles are in paper bags weighted with kitty litter. Sometimes they are in glass vases collected from florists.
This year my husband and I are cutting back a bit on the festivities at our house as we’re going to John’s church Christmas Eve and then to Vermont so that most of the family can ski (my husband, our kids, their spouses, our grandkids). I myself have three very fat library books that I hope to read in front of a nice fire.
Back to luminaria. I just looked it up on Wikipedia. Here is the entry, edited.
A luminaria is a small paper lantern (commonly a candle set in some sand inside a paper bag) which is of significance in the U.S. state of New Mexico at Christmas time, especially on Christmas Eve.
Traditional Christmas Eve luminarias are said to originate from Spaniard merchants impressed with Chinese paper lanterns. The paper bags are typically arranged in rows to create large and elaborate displays. The hope among Roman Catholics is that the lights will guide the spirit of the Christ child to one’s home.
More.
Whatever holidays you celebrate, I hope you take delight in the oldest customs you know.
Photo: camerafiend/English Wikipedia
Christmas Eve luminaria (sometimes called farolito) are on display in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 