Luminaria

ATTENTION SHOPPERS: ONLY 12 MORE
INSANE SHOPPING DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

WEDNESDAY. Santa Fe and Old Town Albuquerque are famous for their impressive Christmas Eve luminaria displays. I've less than two weeks to figure out how to shoot night photos of luminaria with my extremely complicated digital SLR, not to mention learning how to make hot tamales* (to which I've become hopelessly addicted) for our holiday dinner.

According to Wikipedia, luminarias originated in New Mexico, where they're traditionally displayed on Christmas Eve. Beautiful arrangements of sand-weighted paper bags containing lit candles decorate New Mexico neighborhoods and cemeteries on December 24th. It's believed the lights will guide the spirit of baby Jesus to one's home. Over the years luminarias have become secularized in other parts of the country. For those who can't be bothered with extinguishing bags aflame in the wind, not to mention trying to find sand (if anyone needs sand, we have plenty here in the desert), you can now purchase electric luminaria and save yourself the trouble of actually making them. However, in my opinion, making them is half the fun.

Hints for making luminaria:

• Fill the brown paper sandwich bags with two to four inches of sand. Evidently the sand must be dry. Otherwise the bags will absorb the moisture and tear. I can't imagine this happening in Albuquerque. Right now it's so dry we're beginning to look like prunes.
• Position your bags one to two feet apart on a flat surface away from flammables. (Duh.)
• Anchor the votive candle in the sand by pushing it in about halfway.
• Don't use a regular match to light the candle - use a long grill lighter or long fireplace matches. (Double duh.)
• Keep a pail of water nearby to extinguish flaming bags.

It will be different spending the holidays so far from the family and friends with whom we've celebrated Christmas for decades. (By the way, the politically correct term for the December holiday is Christmukwaanzukkah.) We bought a small tree the other day but have yet to decorate it. Ushering in the holiday spirit will, I'm sure, involve eggnog, Bing Crosby, and several trips to the Mall. Typically I delay Christmas preparations until December 21, preferring to inaugurate the holiday at Solstice. Besides, all the last minute rushing about makes life interesting and gives me an excuse to yawn my way through Christmas Day. This year, however, I will break with tradition and begin my preparations a week in advance. Giving myself a few extra days might actually enable me to stay awake and alert for most of Christmas Day.

By the way, the probability that we will have a White Christmas in Albuquerque is 3%, according to the latest figures from NOAA. I guess I'd better put my skis away.

*Tamales are popular at Christmas dinner tables throughout the Southwest. I recently came across an online course called, "A Beginner's Guide to Tamales." It's a six day course. Need I say more?