New Mexico’s population is largely Hispanic, and this is a contributing reason as to why New Mexico holiday season is a celebration. Perhaps the most notable sign that the holidays are approaching is the luminaria or farjalito, a small candle set inside a paper bag with sand. As Christmas approaches thousands line the streets, staircases, walkways, fences and even roofs. Visitors can best view these luminarias at Albuquerque’s historic old town or Santa Fe and Taos’ historic plaza’s. Our facebook friend Bill, mentions the small Acoma pueblo, known as Sky City as another beautiful area lit up by luminarias for Christmas Eve. On Taos’ and Santa Fe’s plazas there is often carolers and cider to celebrate the lightings.

If the soft glowing lights of our farolito doesn’t quite lure in you in. Try checking out our local ski areas that transform into a family gathering spots to enjoy sun and snow for the holiday season. Facebook friend Marie mentions the Taos Ski Valley’s torch light parade. Every year on Christmas Eve, Taos Ski Valley comes alive with a parade of skiers carrying torches ski down from the top of the mountain to the base at dusk. When all the torches make it down the run the valley is lit up by a fireworks display rivaling major city celebrations. It brings the whole mountain of skiers and lodgers together in cheers.

Another Christmas Eve tradition in Taos or the surrounding pueblos is the traditional Native American dances that occur on Christmas Eve through Christmas morning. Large bon-fires warm spectators as dances of prayer and celebration are performed. After the different events take place the feasts begin around the state. Traditional New Mexican Christmas meals consist of tamales, red chili, posole (hominy), beans and our state cookie, the biscochito (sugar cookies baked with anice, licorice spice).

Christmas in New Mexico is focused on traditions. We like to think that our style of holiday is a small getaway from the Christmas seasons that held at hostage by the department stores. How do you spend the holiday? Will you be traveling to New Mexico? Tell us your plans this season…

Hotel Andaluz voted among the best hotels in the world by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

We just received some exciting news and it is all because of you! Hotel Andaluz was awarded a “Reader’s Choice Award” by Conde Nast Traveler. The 2012 awards were rated by a record 46,476 readers voting on hotels, resorts, and cruise lines around the world. The Hotel Andaluz team is thrilled to receive this recognition and we are so thankful that our guests took the time to share their experiences with Conde Nast Traveler. In addition to being named among the world’s best hotels, Conde Nast Traveler recognized Hotel Andaluz as one of the Top 25 Hotels in the Southwest.

Here are a few examples of some of the guest feedback that helped us win this award:

“This was an amazing find! Beautifully redone… green, comfortable, everything you could possibly think of to make one’s stay as comfortable as possible. The lobby sitting area is magnificent and the restaurant graciously served us after a late arrival. Staff was excellent and went out of their way to be friendly.”

“Andaluz is a luxurious escape in the heart of downtown Albuquerque. Ultimate comfort near bustling nightlife, great shopping, and wonderful restaurants. I don’t ever want to stay anywhere else in this city!”

A full list of winners can be viewed here.

Started in 1972, the first Balloon Fiesta was a small gathering of 13 balloons. Forty years later, the tradition lives on with pilots representing more than 20 counties and upwards of 800,000 spectators. On weekend mornings during Fiesta, mass balloon ascensions include as many as 700 balloons filling the sky, which is one of the many reasons Balloon Fiesta is the most photographed event in the world.

In addition to the mass ascensions, other photo-worthy moments of the eight day festival include the night time Balloon Glow, where pilots fire their burners simultaneously, lighting up the night in a spectacular display. The Glow was created by Albuquerque balloonists in 1979 as a Christmas Eve thank you to local residents. It’s now one of the most popular events, second only to the Special Shapes Rodeo which showcases more than 100 balloons of interesting incarnations, like a family of bees, a pair of cowboy boots, and even pop culture icons, like Darth Vader and Mr. Peanut.

Shapes and mass launches are relatively new to hot air ballooning, which first took flight in 18th century France. The world’s first hot air balloon was made of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. It was held together by 1,800 buttons with the outside of the envelope reinforced by fishnet. The envelope itself could contain nearly 28,000 cubic feet of air and weighed about 500 pounds. French papermakers, Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier publicly debuted their invention in an unmanned test flight at Annonay on June 4, 1783. The inaugural flight covered 1.2 miles and lasted 10 minutes, reaching altitudes of about 5,200-6,600 feet.

Hot air balloons and the sport of ballooning have come a long way since that famous first flight. Today, the envelope is made from nylon fabric and the mouth of the balloon, the part closest to the flame, is made from fire resistant material. While new materials have made balloons sturdier and safer, pilots still rely on good, old-fashioned wind currents to move their balloons, and this makes Albuquerque’s location in the Rio Grande Valley ideal. Our cool nights and warm October days help create what is known in balloon parlance as the “box effect.” The box effect is a predictable wind pattern that helps pilots “steer” their balloons. Low elevation winds tend to blow from the south, while higher elevation winds tend to be northerly. Balloonists use these winds to navigate in a vertical box: ascending slightly to move south, then ascending further to move north, descending again and repeating the box, or landing close to their original launch site.

Albuquerque’s box effect, as well as our 40 year love affair with ballooning make it the quintessential destination for hot air balloon culture. Our annual celebration brings out the best in the city and its people, while the crisp October air makes it the perfect time to visit the Land of Enchantment. If you haven’t been to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, my only question is: what are you waiting for? Come stay in one of our guest rooms and don’t miss your turn to get up, up, and away in Albuquerque.

Started by local artist Will Shuster in 1924, and continued today by the Santa Fe Kiwanis Club, it’s a spectacle not to be missed. As dusk descends, Zozobra is condemned by the crowd to a fiery fate. A Fire Dancer, along with 2-3 dozen children, “Glooms,” dressed in white sheets, take the stage at Zozobra’s feet. The Glooms dance and beg for Zozobra’s release, but are chased away by the Spirit Fire Dancer. Several Fire Dancers perform a riveting ritual as the Spirit Dancer teases flames closer and closer to the doomed behemoth. After much fanfare, Old Man Gloom is at last ignited. His robes ablaze, he comes alive, moaning and wailing and waving his arms, while fireworks light the sky. After a cathartic burn, he collapses in a charred heap, signaling the start of Fiestas de Santa Fe.

2012 marks the 88th annual celebration of Zozobra. For the people of Santa Fe, and pilgrims from across the state and country, it’s a chance to literally and figuratively burn the past and begin new. Come see Zozobra for yourself, and leave your cares aflame in The City Different.

Photo by Kelli R. Abeyta