Things to do in santa fe at christmas

I'm going to be inSanta Fe for Christmas. Does anyone have suggestions for what to do to make it an extra special holiday? I will be staying near the Plaza (walkable), but will also have a car available.

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carracar

Santa Fe, New Mexico

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1. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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There will be a number of Seasonal music events both sacred & secular ... TheCanyon Road Faralito Walk is the "do not miss" event ... As are surrounding Native Pueblo ceremonial days ... There is so much on offer ... to enjoy all, we here, need to plan our nights out, like a military campaign ... Enjoy ... carracar

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Halfelfin

2. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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Is there a information source I can find that would have dates and times of such events, so I can begin my planning?

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carracar

Santa Fe, New Mexico

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3. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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Santa Fe.org ... would be one source ... carracar

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MaryEllenM27

Kalispell, Montana

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for Glacier National Park, Santa Fe, Sedona

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4. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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Ah,Santa Fe during the Christmas season...fabulous! Look at this link:

Holiday Attractions in Santa Fe - 10Best

http://www.10best.com › Santa Fe Travel Guide › Santa Fe Attractions

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When exactly are you arriving? Most of the art shows and events begin the weekend just after Thanksgiving and begin to taper off the actual week of Christmas as families begin to get things together for Christmas.

The Winter Indian Art Market weekend, the Contemporary Clay show, Fiber Arts show, and all the galleries are up and ready BEFORE Christmas week. The Lighting of the Plaza Lights, the annual Nutcracker at the Lensic all occur before Christmas week. Christmas week is actually quieter...more for shopping, dining and museum hopping. All of Santa Fe's normal things to do, only during a quieter time with fewer crowds.

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Christmas Eve you can walk Canyon Road. That event is world famous with the farolitos sit and people in a festive mood.

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Below are two links to check. *The frustrating thing about them is that many of the events are not listed specifically by 2016 dates until nearly the time they are happening...go figure. Many local art shows are not listed at all and you need to check local papers and ask around at the shops when you arrive.

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Calendar of Events - Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau

http://santafe.org/Calendar

Santa Fe Current Events Calendar

http://santafe.com/calendar

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Calendar of Native American Events and Dances in Central New Mexico

http://www.santaana.org/calendar.htm

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Yuletide in Taos - The Official Taos Guide

http://taos.org/art/festivals-events?/item/189/Yuletide-in-Taos

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MaryEllenM27

Kalispell, Montana

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for Glacier National Park, Santa Fe, Sedona

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5. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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I noticed that the first link does seem active so I have copied this article for you to read through:

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By Billie Frank

Santa Fe Local Expert

"The word that best describes Santa Fe at Christmas is ‘magical’. The official start to this festival of lights is the annual Christmas tree lighting in the historic Santa Fe Plaza. The festive event, held the day after Thanksgiving, draws lots of folks. Downtown is alight as is the historic East Side (including Canyon Road) and the Guadalupe and Railyard Districts. You’ll find more lights at the Santa Fe Botanic Garden on Museum Hill, starting the first Wednesday of December when their annual Glow event begins. The holiday season in The City Different also brings concerts, the Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet’s annual The Nutcracker, the Canyon Road Christmas Eve Farolito Walk and dances at the Indian Pueblos. Want to shop? Besides unique boutiques, there’s SWAIA’s Winter Indian Market and other holiday sales including Recycle Santa Fe offering handcrafted items that make unique gifts. The city (originally named La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís), is a town that remains strongly Catholic. Religious events such as Las Posadas and Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi are not to be missed. And if it snows during the holidays: nirvana! ***Check dates and times before you go as things change from year to year.

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Aspen Santa Fe Ballet - The Nutcracker

One December weekend each year, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet performs Tchaikovsky's popular Christmas ballet, "The Nutcracker". Join Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they journey to the magical Land of Snow and Land of Sweets where they're greeted by the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy... The small company expands for this special production which includes 70 children and 60 professional dancers. Past guest artists have come from as far away as Russia and China. (505-988-1234)

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Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Midnight Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi is an event. The stunning Romanesque edifice combines features of traditional cathedrals with New Mexican Spanish Colonial art influences such as retablos (religious paintings done on wood). The doors open at 10:30pm and the church fills up quickly. If you want a seat, arrive early. While you're waiting for Lessons and Carols begin at 11pm, head for the Conquistadora Chapel to the left at the front of the cathedral. The only remaining section of the original parroquia (parish) church, it's home to La Conquistadora. The oldest statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the United States, she survived the Pueblo Revolt and brought back to the city in 1692. By the time Mass starts, there is not a seat in the house. (505-982-5619)

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Annual Christmas Open House at the New Mexico Museum of Art

This event started in 1983, is a favorite with children of all ages. The highlight of the afternoon is the wonderful, whimsical Baumann Marionettes, made by renowned woodblock artist Gustav Baumann for his daughter in the 1930s. They come out of storage every year for this holiday event. The whimsical puppets perform two plays for children. There's also a treasure hunt to find Freckles and his twin brother hiding somewhere in the museum galleries. The highlight of the afternoon comes with a twist: kids can have a photo taken of Santa in their lap. Create your own puppet, sing Christmas carols and enjoy holiday refreshments. The event, held on a December Sunday, runs from 1 to 4pm. While there visit the galleries; the museum has a great collection of New Mexican art. (505-476-5041)

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GLOW - A Winter Holiday Lights Event

GLOW- takes place at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden up on the city's Museum Hill. This festival of lights runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from the first Thursday in December to the Saturday following New Year's Day from 5 to 8pm. The Garden becomes a winter wonderland lit by thousands of lights, including LED, floodlights, kinetic lights that move rhythmically and fairy lights in plants and trees. Saturday nights bring bracing hot toddies to ward off the cold. Santa will be in attendance and there will be live music. Arrive right at opening and watch the spectacular high desert sunset that's been drawing artists and others to Santa Fe for over 100 years. The transition from day to night will enhance your experience. If you're lucky, it might snow, making your evening even more magical. There is an admission charge. (505-471-9103)

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Christmas at the Palace

This is held at the Palace of the Governors (the oldest government building in continuous use in the USA), is a popular event for locals. Started in 1985, it's always on the Friday before Las Posadas. Santa Feans fill the over historic building and its courtyard, greeting friends as they go. It's a great event for tourists, too. The Palace, now part of the New Mexico History Museum, lights up for the occasion. Walk through the rooms, look at the exhibitions which include Spanish Colonial Art and listen to live music played by both children's and professional groups. Head for the courtyard, lit by luminarias and farolitos, for hot drinks, biscochitos (the official New Mexico State Cookie) and of course, Santa Claus (and Mrs. Claus). You'll even find seasonally-themed piñatas hanging, befitting the city's Mexican heritage. This event is a sure winner for the entire family. (505-476-5100)

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Lighting of Christmas Decorations on Santa fe Plaza

Christmas in Santa Fe is enchanting. There's something very special about this historic city when it's aglow with fairy lights and electric farolitos. If it snows, this magical winter wonderland is complete. No place is more special this time of year than the historic Plaza, home of the city's official Christmas trees. The park's evergreens in the small park are festooned with colored lights and there are a lot of them. The official Christmas tree lighting takes place on the night after Thanksgiving. It's done with a lot of fanfare. Arrive early; pre-glow entertainment starts at 3pm and Santa arrives via vintage fire truck at 4. When darkness falls the switch is thrown, and viola, the square is transformed. There's also a menorah lighting ceremony on the first night of Chanukah. Candles burn in the contemporary menorah for the holiday's eight nights. The lights stay up until New Year's Day. (505-955-6933)

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Las Posadas

A candlelight procession usually held in mid-December, is an important Christmas event in Santa Fe. It's the reenactment of Joseph and Mary's search for a room at an inn in Bethlehem. The procession begins at the historic Palace of the Governors (the oldest government building in the United States still in use) and wends its way around the Plaza, picking up people along the way. The holy couple stops at an "inn" and all of a sudden the devil pops out of the darkness in a flash of light. He gestures menacingly at the couple and their followers while screaming at them in 16th century Spanish. The crowd boos. This is done three more times (once at each side of the Plaza). The walk culminates in the Palace's courtyard where hot cider and biscochitos (the New Mexico State Cookie) are served to the chilled crowd. (505-476-5200)

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Canyon Road Christmas Eve Farolito Walk

Christmas Eve in Santa Fe is unlike any other in the world. It seems like the entire city turns out for the annual Canyon Road Farolito Walk. The street (and adjacent ones) is closed and people take to the middle of the street. Farolitos (traditionally small paper bags filled with sand topped with a votive candle) line walkways and adobe walls. Some housetops, walks and walls boast "fauxlitos," the name locals have given to the electrified models. Luminarias (small piñon wood bonfires) are spaced randomly along the street. The festivities start at dusk (around 5pm) and run until around 10pm (depending on and how late the crowd stays). Some places offer hot cider or hot chocolate to warm cold bodies. People spontaneously break into Christmas carols along the way. The atmosphere is festive and full of good holiday cheer. (505-795-7503)"

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Dianne W

Rio Rancho, New...

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6. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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We enjoy the baroque music concerts atLoretto Chapel during Christmas time. Afterwards, walk around the Plaza area to take in the decorations and ambiance.

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HMac_2013

Santa Fe, New Mexico

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7. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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All of the above, of course, but our favorite reason to stay inSanta Fe over the Christmas holidays is the Indian dances. All of the pueblos from San Felipe and Santo Domingo (near Albuquerque) to Taos have dances on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and/or Boxing Day (December 26). Some start with a church service on Christmas Eve then transition (in or out of the church) to traditional pueblo dances. Not everyone is entranced - they can be an acquired taste - but we are continually entranced by the beauty, diversity of costumes and characters, magical feeling, and often (especially with the kosharis) humor. Leave your camera in the car - it may be confiscated if you try to use it at the dances. And do not ask a Native American what the dance is about or what any aspect of it means, or even impatiently when it will start. It is what it is. Relax and enjoy.

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SavantIII_11

Centerville, Ohio

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8. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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MaryEllenM27: Excellent advice

Slainte

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62RWC

Concord, California

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9. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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Same here. Thanks for posting the question!

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62RWC

Concord, California

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10. Re: Christmas in Santa Fe

6 years ago

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Wow Mary Ellen, thanks for posting this! I've always wanted to go to SF and around Christmas time, so while we'll be there from Dec 28-Jan 4, it sounds like there will still be plenty of holiday activities.

What about parking, especially downtown, after Christmas (week)? Would you suggest any tours that encompass many attractions? And, what about going to Bandolier? How far is it from town and what should we know ahead of time? Our son would love it, I'm sure, but we can't do too much walking, though climbing a ladder or two for a peek of the dwellings should be okay. Been to Mesa Verde and loved it! Since we will be there for 7 nights, might you have an itinerary idea, so we can space out our days, without too much of anything? We want to see the Cathredral and Chapel of Loretto. The botanical gardens sound good and the Palace of Govenors. We'll want to shop and eat at a couple of nice places. We love views too for any venue.

What is there to do in Santa Fe on Christmas?

Is Santa Fe a good place to visit in December?

What is Santa Fe like in December?

Does Santa Fe have a winterfest?