something else learned while in santa fe: those little party lanterns we’ve been making forever with paper bags, sand, and votives, (and sometimes stenciling with a theme-appropriate graphic, like the ones below) and referring to as “luminaries”, originated in new mexico and are more correctly called farolitos.

 there, luminaria are more often small vigil fires, traditionally built in the courtyard of a home and sometimes accompanied by the paper-bag lights, thought to help guide and welcome the spirit of the christ child on christmas eve.

our hotel had these kooky little things lining the edge of roof, which during the day looked like this:

but at night looked like this:

obviously not really paper and candles, but nonetheless truly charming.  at the museum of international folk art, there was a wonderful pueblo-style dollhouse that had farolitos along the roofline,  placed just like those at the hotel.  the lovely docents there clued me in on all the terminology and lore associated with luminaria and farolitos.