Andrea, I read your blog for many reasons. One of them is because I know I'll find amazing posts like this one.

Lovely post as usual. Thank you! :)

My uncle shot this video in my neighborhood in Albuquerque on christmas eve:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9jGvlpjmg0

Now dem's some luminaria's...

beautiful photos, beautiful thoughts.

Aaahhh what an absolutely beautiful thing to do.
Just magical.
love Alison x

You are one of those who fill the world with light, thank you for that and thank you for sharing with all of us.

blessings
xo

*magic!*

beautiful story. i want to kiss that man. i am kissing him with my mind.

and giiiiirl, what a beautiful 4some of images!!! that boy of yours is nothing short of perfection.

with love and blessings...

My family also puts luminarias up for our people at the cemetery. Visiting our disfuntidos is my favorite part of Christmas Eve and these days, the entire cemetery is filled with luminarias. It's a wonderful way to celebrate everyone, even those who've moved on.

There is a great children's book by Rudolfo Anaya called The Farolitos of Christmas, if you ever want to read a story to Ben about the beautiful southwestern tradition.

Ohhh totally off topic..but does the back of Ben's neck smell as good as the back of my Jericho's? Kinda milky and sweet with some hair smell thrown in for yummy goodness...

Happy Holidays dearie!!

Kim

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
- Buddha

Have a wonderful day

Luminarias are a huge tradition here in New Mexico. My neighborhood goes bonkers...so much that they close down the streets and bus in thousands of people to see them. Very beautiful.

I still have 7 dozen bags in my front yard...add another item to the to-do-list!

What a beautiful story - you've added light to my day by sharing it.

you dear andrea fill the world with light.

xoxo,

meesh

Wishing you the best too!

I love luminarias [farolitos]! Every Christmas Eve, we go to my mother-in-law's house. The kids put out the bags and the men go along and light the candles. Everyone in her neighborhood does it.

You can read more about the tradition here:

http://ca.essortment.com/luninarias_recb.htm

It's hard to believe we didn't get a visual of that lovely idea. You weren't...out without your camera, were you?

and to you:)

Merry Christmas, Andrea. Thanks for this beautiful story. truly a good reminder of the reason for the season.

what a cool story. merry xmas!

Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family, Andrea. May your holiday be filled with love, laughter, warmth and many precious moments to remember forever. Lots of love, Luzie. xoxo

We watched the movie Bad Santa last night, where Billy Bob Thornton's character did that exact same thing - it did look very beautiful. :)
Merry christmas to you and your family!

What a glorious idea.
This little light of mine......
Glorious idea.
Love Jeanne ^j^

Merry Christmas all through the year.

I remember as a kid there was a neighborhood down the street from my grandmother's house (where we would have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve), that would do that. I'm 40 now, and the neighborhood still does, except now, people drive from all over town to see it....that and the fact that the neighborhood now goes all out with decorations for their houses too.....

That's a really wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. And your photographs of leaves and of Ben of late have been particularly arresting. Thanks for sharing those, too.

What an utterly fabulous idea! Happy holidays to you & your family!
Jules
House of Jules

I love that. My husband spent some of his childhood in El Paso and he remembers that everyone decorated the streets with those luminario lights. Very cool.

Love those photos to. Beauty.

xo and merry merry.